


Tattered Dreams!

by Mozarts Fantasy (MozartsFantasy)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Caring Papyrus, Depressed Sans, Drama, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sans Has Issues, Sans-centric, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-14 05:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 48,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5730766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MozartsFantasy/pseuds/Mozarts%20Fantasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The monsters had finally found their happy ending... but something goes terribly wrong. Chara, who was thought to have been eliminated once and for all, has somehow survived and managed to invade Sans' dreams. Every injury he receives while fighting her transfers into the waking world as his outlook on life becomes bleaker. Now Sans is fighting a battle he can't win on his own... but how can his friends help him when it's all in his head? Does he even want them to, knowing they may find out the truth he's been keeping from them... the truth of what happened in the other timelines?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Vivid Dream

**Author's Note:**

> **AN: Welcome to my newest fanfiction 'Tattered Dreams'. This is the first thing I've written for Undertale as I have just recently discovered/fallen in love with the game. Sans is my favorite character and as such I just have to torment him. I actually feel that Sans is a rather tragic character. During the genocide runs he is constantly forced to watch as both his family and friends are killed. Yet still he finds the strength to challenge the fallen child and, even though he is technically the weakest enemy in the game, he still kicks major butt! In this story Sans will retain his memories of the various timelines and suffer from the results of going through everything that he has. I don't believe that he would be able to go through all that without developing some form of anxiety or PTSD. There will be some blood in this story, because I feel like making skeletons able to bleed (they're monsters they don't have the same rules as a human skeleton... at least that's my excuse) as well as some other violence that goes along with it... nothing too bad (probably). Also I write Frisk/Chara as a girl. Well I guess I've rambled enough. Hope you enjoy :) Please let me know what you think!**
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> **DISCLAIMER: No matter how badly I wish it were true, I will never own Undertale. That honor belongs to Toby Fox.**

_Red eyes stared at him from the shadows as a knife blade glinted. This was nothing new to the short skeleton waiting in the hall of judgment... after all... he's lived this same event countless times before. The fallen child began their approach as Sans took his normal stance, his left eye already beginning to glow a bright blue._

_"Why are you still trying to stop me?" The young girl asked with a mocking grin. "You'll just die in the end... you always do."_

_Turning narrowed eyes on his opponent, Sans replied resolutely. "That may be true, but... I've still gotta try."_

_The childs expression darkened with anger as she raced forward, only to be dodged by the cunning monster before her._

_"Why can't you just GIVE UP!?" She screamed, the grim replaced with a vicious snarl._

_"Until I save my friends, each and every one of them..." He hissed, voice cold as he sent rows of bones her way. "I will never give up!"_

_The fight continued as it usually did after that. Sans would use his magic, controlling bones and gaster blasters with ease while continuing to evade the kids attacks. With each death Chara was dealt, however, the skeleton new she was learning his patterns. He was already beginning to tire from the constant strain of using his magic. Taking a moment to wipe the sweat off his forehead after the latest kill, he laughed quietly... thinking back to the times he had trained with his brother. He had always been the weaker of the two, ever since they were baby bones, and it caused Papyrus to constantly worry about him. It didn't help matters that he only had one HP when he battled. This was attributed to an event that had occurred when he was a less than a year old, something he couldn't remember. That's why Papyrus was so protective and why he himself worked so hard to get his older brother to smile. With the way his bro acted, many assumed that he was actually the younger of the duo. A fact which Sans didn't bother to correct, wanting to preserve the innocence that Paps possessed. His train of thought was interrupted as a knife careened towards his skull. Barely managing to get out of the way in time, he narrowly avoided the second strike headed for his chest._

_"Getting a little impatient there, aren't ya kid?" Sans questioned as he grabbed the girls wrist, preventing the knife from meeting it's mark._

_"Or maybe you're just getting reckless." She stated, a victorious look in her eyes as her unrestrained hand flew forward with a second blade, slicing deeply into his side._

_Sans' eye sockets widened in shock as he collapsed to his knees._

_'What the heck?' He thought as vengeful laughter echoed through the room. 'Where did she get another knife?'_

Sweat beaded on his face as Sans shot up in bed, a skeletal hand grasping for his wounded side before realizing that it had all been a nightmare. He quickly thought back on all that had happened in the last few months, trying to keep his breathing under control so he wouldn't hyperventilate.

After saving everyone and escaping the fallen childs hold, Frisk had been planning on breaking the barrier for her friends but after hearing about what the humans were like on the surface the monsters came to the unanimous decision to leave it untouched. They would rather live peacefully underground than face more humans like Chara. Frisk, who didn't have any family of her own, was adopted by Toriel and Asgore. Sure they were still separated but had decided to talk things through... especially since they had two children to care for. Asriel had somehow managed to regain his original form after Chara was banished. No one knew how exactly and no one wanted to disrupt the happy reunion to figure it out. Sans had still kept a close eye on the child for over a month though, wary that the kind and gentle attitude he now processed was just a mask to hide the monster he'd once been. Undyne and Alphys had started dating and loved spending nights at each others houses watching anime. Even though he realized that he didn't actually want to be in the royal guards, Papyrus still insisted on training with Undyne. In his extra time, he took to helping Toriel with the school she had opened... he was a big hit with the kids due to his caring and childish nature. And what of himself? Well... he got by, even if he was still plagued by memories of the failed timelines.

_'It was just a dream! Just... a dream...'_ He told himself as he finally began to calm down. Remembering everything up till this point had really helped ground him. _'Frisk managed to free herself from Chara's influence by saving Asriel, remember? That little brat is never coming back. You don't need to live through any more genocide loops. She's gone... It's over.''_

But if that was true, why did he still feel the searing pain from the knife? Glancing down, the young monster bit back a startled yelp. Blood was seeping through the t-shirt he'd worn to bed the night before, forming a quickly growing stain on the white fabric. With shaking hands he lifted his shirt, staring in fear at the gash beneath.

_'Wha... h...how can this...?'_ His thoughts were a jumbled mess as he tried to comprehend the meaning of what he saw.

There, sitting in the very same spot as in his dream, was the cut he had received from Chara's knife.

Quickly putting pressure on the wound, Sans made his way over to his dresser where he pulled out a roll of bandages and some antiseptic ointment from the first aid kit he always kept there. After taking care of the cut he put on a new shirt and his blue hoodie before heading towards the bathroom, hoping to get his original shirt cleaned before Papyrus woke up. Fate, however, wasn't on his side it seemed for as soon as he opened the door the younger skeleton heard his brothers footsteps heading his way. Thinking fast, Sans threw the evidence of his injury into his room and locked the door, wincing slightly as the movement jarred his aching side.

"GOOD MORNING BROTHER! DID YOU..." The elder called before trailing off.

The shorter monster plastered his usual grin onto his face, trying his best to seem convincing though he knew his brother had noticed his earlier expression.

"Is there something the matter?" Papyrus asked, concern written on his face. "You seem more pale than normal and since we are skeletons that is very worrisome."

"I guess I'm just bone-tired." He replied, hoping to relieve his bros worry.

"WELL IF YOU'RE FEELING WELL ENOUGH TO MAKE PUNS, no matter how bad of a pun it was, THEN I SUPPOSE IT'S FINE." The taller stated, looking slightly exasperated. "Just don't overexert yourself today Sans. I can't believe I'm doing this but... I'm actually giving you permission to slack off."

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" Sans asked, a genuine smile spreading across his face even as his side throbbed.

"Yes yes... very funny." Pap declared before whipping around to head downstairs. "NOW I'VE GOT TO GO TRAIN WITH UNDYNE SO YOU'D BETTER TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF WHILE I'M GONE!"

With a final look at his little brother the excitable monster was off, closing the door loudly behind him. Sans sighed in relief as he leaned against the wall. He had never been good at hiding things from Papyrus but after living through so many timelines... well, let's just say it had gotten a lot easier. He was the only one who remembered them after all. For some reason even Frisk and Asriel had lost all memory of any timeline other than the one they were currently living. The short skeleton couldn't help feeling slightly envious of his friends. How was it that he was forced to remember all the horrid details while everyone else was blessed with no memory of the events that had transpired. Sure he had thought of telling them... but he could never bring himself to. How could he ruin what they'd all built together. So what if he had nightmares nearly every night or if his magic flared up every once in a while. So what if there were days he had to turn away from Frisk because all he could see when he looked at her was the distorted image of Chara. There have been days when all Sans wanted was to lock himself in his room and cry over how many times he'd failed to save Papyrus... failed to save them all. But he didn't... he put on the best smile he could manage, made terrible puns, and kept telling himself that this was for the best. That he could be happy as long as his friends were. Yet he could tell that the mask he had so carefully constructed was beginning to crack. The smiles were more forced, the puns harder to tell...

Shaking himself from that line of thought, the hoodie clad monster pushed himself to his feet. He hadn't even noticed that he'd been sitting there, knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around himself while he trembled like some scared little kid. He felt ashamed... usually he was more in control than this.

_'I'm such an idiot! What if someone had come in?'_ He panicked slightly, glancing around to make sure he was still alone. _'All I want if for everyone to be happy. In order for that to happen I need to make sure they never find out about the anomalies.'_

The promise he had made to himself to protect his friends and family filled him with determination. He would not let them suffer the same pain he's had to deal with! Managing to make it back into his room, he decided just to burn the shirt using his magic... most of the blood was dried now anyway. He took a while to regain his composure before daring to venture out. He had promised Frisk and Asriel that he would come over to play with them today. So, without further pause, he headed towards a shortcut that would leave him right outside the ruins.

Once at the doorway he knocked, taking a deep breath while waiting for the door to swing open. By the time it did, the lazybones had made sure his smile was in place. The two children immediately raced forward... wrapping their small arms around him in an excited hug.

"Well, looks like you guys missed me, huh?" Sans laughed, swinging them around in a circle with the help of his magic.

The duo laughed as he carefully placed them back on the ground.

"Yes, we did." Frisk admitted fondly, before asking. "Why did it take so long for you to come visit this time?"

"I had a lot of important things to do." He said by way of excuse.

"Like what?" Asriel teased good-naturedly. "Trying to come up with even worse puns?"

"Good one kid." He replied, ruffling the boys fur.

Turning towards Toriel, the goat mother offered a kind smile before they all headed inside. There was an aroma of cinnamon and butterscotch in the air, signaling that the former queen was in the process of making one of her famous pies. As they entered the kitchen the kids took off, most likely getting a head start on whatever game they had decided to play with their adopted uncle. He smiled after them... this one not as forced as his previous.

"Sans?" Toriel questioned, gently placing her paw on his shoulder.

He jerked slightly, startled by the sudden contact. Tori gave him a concerned look but he just shrugged it off.

"What did ya need?" He replied, realizing that she had probably been speaking to him.

"I asked if you would like some tea?" She declared, watching him intently for any sign that something was wrong.

Sans knew that he had to find a way to bring her focus off of him before he said or did something that would give away his deception.

"No thanks..." He smirked mischievously. "You know that stuff just goes right through me."

The taller monster let her features relax as she laughed. Sans knew it was the most obvious pun he could have made but he just didn't think he could come up with anything better... not after how his day has been going so far. Soon Asriel and Frisk returned to drag him off into a game of hide and seek. Even though he could have easily won with the use of his shortcuts... he never did. He didn't want to teach the kids any bad habits like cheating, so whenever he played with them it was always by the rules. Throughout the day Sans saw each of his friends giving him concerned glances when they thought he wasn't looking. He knew that he'd been far quieter then usual and had been zoning out quite a bit.

_'Guess I'll just have to try harder to hide it.'_ He thought as he kept an eye on the children. _'They wouldn't understand anyway and the truth would just cause everyone unnecessary pain. Best to keep it to myself.'_

By the time he left it was beginning to get late. Toriel had offered to let him spend the night and the kids had all but begged him to stay, but the skeleton knew it was an offer he had to refuse. What if he had one of his nightmares and his magic went out of control. He could end up seriously hurting one of his friends, and in his mind... that was the worst thing that could ever happen.

"Do you really have to leave?" Asriel petitioned, holding onto one of the skeletons bony hands while Frisk grabbed the other.

"Yea Sans... why?" She agreed with her adopted brother. "Please stay... I want to spend more time with you. It's been so long since you've come to visit... I was starting to think you didn't like me anymore."

Sans' face took on a stunned expression as he knelt down, pulling them into a comforting embrace.

"There is nothing that would stop me from liking you Frisk..." He said honestly. "The same goes for you Asriel. I know... how bout I come by in a few days? Would that make you feel better?"

"Yeah!" They both shouted excitedly, already forgetting their previous unhappiness.

"Then I'll make sure to be pun-ctual" Frisk, Tori and Sans laughed as Asriel moaned.

"Are you sure you'll be okay heading back into town on your own?" Toriel demanded worriedly, drawing the skeleton into a hug of her own. "I know you're use to taking care of yourself but still..."

"Don't ya worry." He reasoned, sending her a calming look as he pulled away. "It's not that long of a walk back to Snowdin and Papyrus would be disappointed if I wasn't there to read him a bedtime story."

_'Besides... it'll give me some time to think.' He added silently._

"Well, if you're sure." The goat monster relented before handing him something. "But take this. It can be a pretty cold walk and I know that your hoodie is pretty worn, so..."

Sans stared in awe at the present. It was a handmade hoodie, similar to one he wore now but a dark midnight blue. White faux fur lined the hood and there was extra insulation inside making it feel amazingly soft to the touch. It also had pockets he could tuck his hands into. But the best part was on the front, right above where his soul resided. There was a circle of tiny embroidered hearts... one for each of his best friends either in their favorite color or the color of their magic. In the center of the circle stood a larger heart. This one was a brilliant blue... the color of his own magic. He had no clue how Toriel had done it... but it appeared as if the hearts were glowing with an inner light. He could tell that a lot of care had been put into it's making and that it must have taken an exceptionally long time to finish. For a few moments he hugged it close before letting out a small sigh, making to hand it back.

"Sorry Tori, but... I've done nothing to deserve this." He said, turning his face away from the others.

He was surprised when he felt a large paw take his hand and wrap it firmly around the fabric. He risked a glance up, her decisive yet kind eyes meeting his.

"Don't be ridiculous." She chided mildly. "You have done so much for me Sans. Don't you remember... you looked after Frisk for me the whole time I couldn't be there. You protected her, offered advice, and gave her something she desperately needed... a friend. If that's not worth a kind gesture then I don't know what is."

Tears began pooling in his eye sockets but he refused to let them fall as he replaced his old hoodie with the new one Tori had so thoughtfully made for him. He had done those things... but he remembered that there had also been times when he'd failed to do so. Times where he'd been forced to kill the child over and over while she was possessed by Chara's vengeful soul. Sans forced back the memories, focusing instead on the fact that everyone he cared for was still alive... including Frisk. He had helped her this time and that was all that mattered. No matter how many times he'd failed, no matter how many times they'd met as enemies, in this timeline... they were friends.

"Thanks... it means a lot to me." He said, voice barely more than a whisper before continuing under his breath. "More than you'll ever know."

Without further ado, Sans turned and walked through the entry of the ruins... swiftly making his way down the path towards Snowdin. When he got home he was thoroughly exhausted. Having decided not to use any shortcuts he had taken the time to reflect on his earlier nightmare and all the implications that came with it. Somehow Chara had managed to invade his dreams... that much was for certain. But what was her plan and how did the wound she inflicted on him in the dream transfer into the waking world? As he lay in bed that night, the skeleton would be lying if he said he didn't feel slightly afraid at the prospect of going to sleep.


	2. Something Hidden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Well here's chapter 2! I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I loved writing it, especially the end which I think turned out perfectly! In the next chapter we'll see some awesome brotherly moments between Sans and Papyrus so you can look forward to that. Well, anyway, here it is! Please leave a review so I know what you think :) It really keeps me motivated!**
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> **Disclaimer: Toby Fox is the amazing person who owns Undertale. All I own is the plot of this story.**

Sans lay awake in bed, his thoughts a swirling mess of uncertainty. On one hand he was curious as to how Chara had managed to do what she had, but on the other... he was worried what it may entail. Eventually he couldn't keep his eye sockets open any longer. As they slipped shut, the skeleton decided the best course of action would be to gain information right from the source.

_All of a sudden he was back in the hall of judgment, staring at the large doors as they slowly opened to reveal the fallen child, a twisted grin already on her face. Sans' stance widened, readying himself for the impending attack. As the girl ambled towards him, he felt a slight twinge of fear enter his soul but refused to let himself falter while still in her presence._

“ _Back so soon, huh?” The kid ridiculed, coming to a stop about ten feet away from her target. “You should really learn not to take so many naps Sans, it can be bad for your health. But I forget... you nap all night. Guess I've got plenty of time to play with you then!”_

“ _How did you do it Chara!?” The small skeleton demanded, eye beginning to glow as he ignored the girls gleeful taunting. “How are you here? How did you manage to make that injury appear on my actual body?”_

_The child laughed mirthfully as she twirled her locket chain around her finger. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you... so why should I even bother?”_

_Sans bit back his retort and just smiled all the wider, knowing it would anger his enemy. He refused to show Chara any weakness. Even the times she had killed him, he'd managed to keep a grin on his face till she was out of sight. Now was no different other than the fact that the world they resided in was within his mind. With hatred burning in her stare, the kid charged forward swinging her weapon in a wide arch. The skeleton easily dodged, however, and used his power to manipulate gravity... sending the child launching into the air before repeatedly throwing her against the pillars lining the hall._

“ _I don't really care if you talk or not. All I need to do is avoid being injured so it won't transfer over.” He stated, voice calmer than he felt on the inside. “I've been thinking and the only conclusion I can draw from you being here is that somehow, after you were expelled from Frisk, you managed to latch onto my soul in a similar fashion to hers. But I'm too strong for you to take possession of. No, the only way you figure you can get to me is by wearing me down via these nightmares you've concocted.”_

“ _So you have it all figured out, eh Sansy? You think you're so smart.” The child replied in irritation as she rose to her feet. “But guess what, you're missing one key factor in your little hypothesis and that could be your undoing.”_

_With a spiteful smirk spreading across her face, the girl laughed. She knew that her little speech had planted the seed of doubt in the skeleton. Sans grabbed his skull, trying in vain to block out the echoing laughter._

“ _GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” Sans screamed, sending gaster blasters to finish off his previous attack._

With a start, the troubled monster jerked awake... his mind still reverberating with the chilling voice of the fallen child.

_'You'll never get away Sans.'_ The voice mocked. _'After all... it's all in your head.'_

He didn't know how long he sat there trembling, trying to get his breathing back under control. The only thing he knew for certain was that even though he'd faced Chara in numerous timelines, this was different. In all the other loops he'd been so focused on stopping her that he'd had no time to worry about himself, but now... now he was afraid. How was he supposed to deal with an enemy that had no physical form? No matter what he did to her, she would just be waiting for him the next time he slept.

_'I need to figure this out.'_ He decided, once again closing his eye sockets. _'And the only way I'll do that is by going back!'_

It took several hours for Sans to fall asleep again, the apprehension he felt keeping his mind from shutting off long enough to get any rest. When he finally managed to doze off, Chara was waiting for him... just like he knew she would be.

“ _Well look who returned. You were lucky last time... getting away without any injuries.” Her expression darkened as she jumped into the air above him, knife in hand. “I won't let that happen again.”_

_No matter how many attacks Sans launched, it seemed that the fallen child was one step ahead. Barely any of his bones made contact and she managed to dodge any of the gaster blasters he sent against her._

_'She was never this good before.' The big-boned monster thought as his breathing began to grow labored. 'Every other time we've fought it's taken more than a few tries before she learned my patterns. How did she pick up on them so soon?'_

_His question remained unanswered, for at that moment he felt a stabbing pain pierce his right shoulder bone._

A small cry escaped Sans' mouth as he once again awoke from the nightmare. Something warm trickled down his arm and it took him a moment to comprehend what had happened.

“Little brat must have stabbed me.” He muttered softly, not wanting to risk waking his brother, as his eyes locked on the blood oozing from his scapula. “This is bad... I need to stop the bleeding.”

He slowly got off the bed, holding his wounded arm as still as possible, and gasped in pain as the movement pulled at his previous injury. The cut on his ribs wasn't as serious as what he'd just received but that didn't mean it wasn't painful. After creeping his way towards his first aid kit, Sans managed to treat his hurt shoulder and wrap it in a thick layer of gauze.

“I'd better take some bandages with me when I head to my post.” He said in a matter of fact tone. “With how deep the gash is, it might bleed through. The last thing I need is for Papyrus to notice the blood. I have to keep him as far away from Chara as possible... even if it means I need to face her on my own.”

_'Heh... I should be used to it by now.'_ He sighed resignedly.

Deciding not to go back to sleep the short skeleton made his way out of the house, being extra careful not to make any noise. As he walked through the snowy fields towards his post near the ruins Sans let his thoughts drift.

_'I still haven't figured out how the kid is able to harm me like this.'_ He sighed, wincing as he slipped and jarred his shoulder. _'How am I supposed to win when she doesn't have a physical form? I might as well be fighting air! She just keeps appearing in my subconscious... time after time. But why now? Why didn't she attack me earlier? I mean, it's been weeks since the battle! I guess that doesn't really matter, if it keeps up like this... I won't stand a chance.'_

When he looked up, Sans realized he was standing in front of his station. Stepping inside, the small monster sat in the chair gazing out at the scenic woods. Half an hour later he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

_'Maybe she's only able to reach me in the house?'_ He thought, barely daring to hope as he let his eye sockets close of their own volition. _'Maybe I can... just rest... for...'_

_He blinked his eyes open, only to be greeted with the golden light of the judgment hall once again. A sound behind him made the skeleton twist his head around, finding Chara standing mere feet away._

“ _Hahaha, still haven't learned your lesson yet?” She asked in a teasing voice, charging toward him before he'd even had the chance to get his bearings._

_Sans instinctively activated his magic, using it to fling the child backwards where she skidded across the floor before colliding with the far wall._

_'So much for her only being able to invade my dreams while I'm at home.' He thought dismally._

_It was becoming harder and harder to keep a grin on his face. With each hit he took Sans felt his mask cracking a little more. He knew that if things continued like they were it would shatter, leaving him completely exposed to the girls prying, red eyes._

_Throughout the fight Sans felt the knife nick him several times. Leaving small cuts wherever it made contact. But still he kept fighting. He switched strategies mid battle yet the kid managed to adapt far quicker than he had hoped, landing a more serious blow to the upper half of his left femur._

A small shout of pain escaped as Sans was brought back to the world of consciousness. Once the feeling had dissipated slightly he let out a weary breathe, pulling out the bandages he had brought with him. This was becoming far too normal a circumstance for his liking. Just as he finished wrapping his leg the skeleton heard something coming up the path. He quickly ducked down in his booth before realizing how ridiculous he was being. Chara couldn't reach him in the real world. And just like that, things clicked.

_'Chara can only get to me when I sleep.'_ He gasped as he came to an understanding. _'If I can just stay awake she'll have no power over me!'_

He knew the idea was foolish but it was the only one he had and if he was being completely honest... he didn't want to face her again. It had been different in the days when she'd been possessing Frisk. Back then he'd had something to fight for. His brother... his friends... he would give his life for them in an instant if it meant they would live. And he did... many times in fact. Now though, it was only him. His life was the only one on the line. Sans felt relieved at that notion. The others could live in peace. Even if he died... the others would be safe. That was all that mattered. It didn't mean that he would give up, however. It's true that he's had the hardest time since the final battle. It's true that there were times when he just wanted it all to end. But he held on, for he knew that after all was said and done... he wanted to stay here. He wanted to stay with the ones he cared for. Good or bad... he wanted to be there for it all. That's why he had to figure out a way to defeat Chara once and for all and if that meant staying awake until he thought of one... that's exactly what he was going to do!

“SANS... ARE YOU THERE?” He snapped back to reality upon hearing his brothers call.

The short monster silently peeked his head back up, hoping the other hadn't seen him duck out of sight like a frightened animal. He smiled hastily as his eye sockets met his brothers.

“AH, THERE YOU ARE!” Pap exclaimed, rushing over to him. “I WENT TO WAKE YOU UP AND YOU WEREN'T IN YOUR ROOM! IT'S NOT LIKE YOU TO GET UP EARLIER THAN THE GREAT PAPYRUS... IT REALLY STARTLED ME!”

“Sorry bro... couldn't sleep.” Sans admitted, causing the taller of the two to take a closer look at him.

Papyrus' eye sockets widened as he took in the appearance of the younger skeleton. His eyes had dark circles under them as if he hadn't slept in a while and he looked paler than he had the day before. Papyrus could swear he saw a bandage peaking out of the bottom of his brothers shorts but when he looked again Sans had shifted, hiding it from view. But the thing that worried him the most by far was the look of poorly hidden fear emanating from him as if something was haunting his every breath.

_'He's hiding something again.'_ The taller monster perceived, troubled by the fact.

“You know Sans...” Pap started, placing a comforting hand on his bros shoulder... nearly missing the flinch his action caused. Choosing to ignore it for now, he continued. “You can tell me when somethings bothering you. Even if all I can do is offer support... I could still be there for you.”

Sans felt tears threatening to form as he glanced up into the other monsters honest face. He wanted to accept the offer but his mouth refused to form the words. His fear that he would lose his older brother once again, staying his tongue. Instead he just nodded his head, unable to meet the elders eyes.

Papyrus sighed, disheartened. He knew he wouldn't be getting anything else from the other for the time being.

“Why don't you go take a break at Grillby's” He suggested, smiling at Sans' baffled expression. “It's true that we're still on the watch for humans. But I'm sure Toriel would text if any had fallen into the ruins. You seem to have been working harder than usual. ALMOST AS HARD AS THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”

Sans smiled softly, recognizing the worried glint in his brothers eyes. “Well, if you're sure... I guess I'll take you up on that. Make sure to keep an eye out while I'm gone.”

“NYEH HEH HEH HEH! YOU'RE TELLING ME HOW TO DO OUR JOB?” Pap laughed, winking to show he wasn't serious. “WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?”

They shared a quick laugh before Papyrus shooed the younger male off, pausing a second later to call after him.

“BY THE WAY BROTHER... WHAT'S WITH THE NEW LOOK?” He asked, staring quizzically at the darker hoodie.

The younger let a tranquil smile appear on his face, though his eyes showed a hint of sorrow. “It's a gift from a dear friend.”

“IT MUST BE VERY SPECIAL FOR YOU TO SO READILY REPLACE YOUR OLD ONE.” The tall monster declared, knowing how attached his brother had been to the previous shirt.

He watched Sans give him a brief nod before disappearing through a shortcut. Moments later the boisterous skeleton let his smile drop... his posture filled with concern as he headed towards the ruins. He could tell that the object of clothing meant more to Sans than the other was willing to let on.

_'It must have been Toriel who gave it to him.'_ Papyrus thought warmly. _'I wonder if she noticed how much it meant to him? I must remember to thank her for that. But first...'_

The older brother let his thoughts trail off and soon found himself standing outside the ruin doors. Taking a deep breath, he raised his bony fist to knock, readying himself for what he was about to do. The door swung open a few minutes later as Frisk and Asriel peered out at him, twin expressions of curiosity displayed on their faces.

“What are you doing here Papyrus?” The girl asked, opening the door wider for him to step inside, which he did so immediately. “You don't usually come to the ruins.”

He briskly walked down the long hallways, the children scrambling to keep up with his long strides.

“I MUST TALK WITH THE QUEEN!” Pap declared just as exuberantly as usual, though the kids looked as if they could tell there was more to it than that. “I HAVE AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO DISCUSS AND CANNOT PUT IT OFF A MOMENT LONGER.”

“Mom doesn't like people calling her by her title.” Asriel stated with certainty, sharing a worried glance with his adopted sister. “Something must be really bothering you if you forgot that.”

The lanky monster paused for a moment, eye sockets softening in worry.

“You could say that.” He replied, barely loud enough for them to hear.

As they entered the little house, Toriel greeted him with a warm smile which he returned, though it was a little strained.

“Hello Papyrus.” She welcomed. “What brings you all the way here? I've never seen you leave your post during work hours before.”

His face fell, a solemn look taking over as he discretely motioned towards the children. Seeing this, the monster queen softly placed a paw on both of her children's shoulders and bent down to look them in the eyes.

“Why don't you both go play outside?” She asserted gently. “Papyrus and I have an important matter to discuss that is for our ears only.”

“Okay mom!” The kids answered, nodding seriously even though they couldn't help but wonder what was the matter.

The goat monster watched Asriel and Frisk hurry through the door, noticing the worried backwards glance they sent just before passing through the exit.

_'Those two are such good children.'_ She thought to herself. _'They can always tell when something's troubling their friends.'_

Turning back to the skeleton she gestured towards the living room. Pap followed, tensely taking a seat in one of the chairs. He wrung his hands as concern shown clearly on his skeletal face. Toriel waited patiently, already guessing why he had come.

“I'm here about Sans.” He began, much more sedately than usual for his spirited personality. “I've noticed for quite a while that he seems really upset about something. He barely even makes puns anymore, even though I give him plenty of opportunities, and at night I can hear him having nightmares. When I confront him about them he always plays it off as if nothing happened though. He refuses to talk to me about any of his problems but I can tell it's been getting much worse lately. Sans was so pale yesterday... I thought he was going to pass out.”

The queen listened, a worried frown settled on her fuzzy features. She had known that something was causing Sans distress. It was easy to see for those who knew him as well as his friends did... even with that mask he always wore. That was one of the reasons she'd embroidered the hearts on his hoodie... to show him that he wasn't alone. But this seemed even worse than she had imagined. Looking back on the events of the day before, she had noticed that he was whiter than usual. It was hard to spot seeing as he was always that color but after having it pointed out it was rather obvious. She brought her focus back on the skeleton as he continued.

“When I went to wake my brother up this morning, like I do every morning, he wasn't there. I was worried to death!” Papyrus exclaimed, hand over where his soul was located. “I looked everywhere before I even considered checking his guard station. Thank goodness he was there, I don't know what I'd have done if he wasn't. Yet even though I found him, my worries only grew deeper. It looked as if he hadn't slept for several days. Dark circles were visible under his eye sockets and, somehow, he had gotten even more pallid. I also thought I caught a glimpse of a bandage wrapped around his leg... but was unable to confirm it.”

Tori gasped, hands flying to her mouth as concerned tears filled her eyes. But it was what the older brother said next that frightened her the most.

“Toriel... Sans was afraid...” Papyrus trailed off, tears gathering at the thought of his usually strong little brother being so vulnerable. “I don't know why or how it happened but for a moment... his mask slipped... and I saw someone who was about to break.

 


	3. A Truth Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Wow... this chapter got a lot darker than I originally planned. There are so many emotions running through Sans' head that I was trying to explore. It made it difficult at times to keep everything straight. I love how it turned out though. This chapter is the start of Paps journey toward being the big brother Sans desperately needs and relieves some of the pressure the younger skeleton has had to deal with... though we'll focus more on that next chapter. I hope you enjoy this. Leave a review and let me know what you think :)**
> 
> **Disclaimer: Toby Fox owns Undertale... I don't.**

The two sat there in heavy silence after Papyrus had revealed what he'd seen. Several minutes later Toriel stood, placing a large paw on the skeletons shoulder.

“Papyrus.” She started, waiting for him to meet her eyes before continuing. “I think you should talk to Sans. Let him know how worried you are.”

The excitable monster shook his head. “I can't do that. Sans... he... you know he keeps anything that's bothering him to himself.”

“Then sit him down and don't let him leave until he tells you what's wrong.” She stated earnestly as she put her hands on her hips. “You're his brother. It's your job to help him with whatever he's been going through. Sans has been there for you countless times... don't you think it's time you where there for him?”

The skeleton rubbed the back of his skull sheepishly. It's true that Sans had pretty much assumed the role of big brother... even if he was still a teenager and a few years younger than Pap. But now... something was wrong with him and the taller monster was determined to figure out what!

“YOU ARE RIGHT TORIEL!” He exclaimed, launching up from his chair. “It is time THE GREAT PAPYRUS reclaimed his role as BIG BROTHER!”

Tori watched with a patient smile as Papyrus raced towards the stairs, turning for a moment to shout. “Thank you, by the way, for giving Sans the new hoodie. It means a lot to him.”

He then turned back, heading towards the exit of the ruins. Immediately after returning home, the older skeleton checked to see if Sans was in his room. Finding no one there, he instead gathered up the ingredients needed to make his brothers favorite cookies.

_'It won't hurt to have a little surprise ready for when Sans returns.'_ He thought to himself as he worked. _'Maybe it'll make my brother more open to talking.'_

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

After leaving Papyrus at the guard station, the younger skeleton had made his way back to Snowdin. He stopped by Grillby's to get some take out as well as a bottle of ketchup before heading through one of his shortcuts. There was a hidden lake deep within the forest where he liked to go whenever he was feeling down. He had found it a couple months after he and Pap had first moved to the small, snowy town and it had quickly become his refuge. This is where he now found himself. Staring out at the frozen surface as the crystals in the roof sparkled with an unknown light. He sat on a smooth boulder near the banks and ate his food in silence, washing it down with ketchup as he gazed at the serene scenery. No one knew of this place, not even his brother, and he wanted to keep it that way. Here he could be alone... no one to bother him... no one to interrupt his thoughts. It was peaceful and he could let his mask fully drop without worrying about the repercussions that would come if someone saw.

_'Why do I even do this?'_ He pondered, a small frown on his face and eye sockets half closed. _'Why do I always choose to face things on my own?'_

Sans knew the answer... he just didn't like to trouble others with his problems. Yet when something was bothering his friends he refused to let it drop until he'd discovered what was wrong and found a way to resolve it. He let a dark chuckle escape his throat.

_'It's better if I suffer instead of them.'_ He alleged, a hand reaching up to rub his exhausted eyes. _'I'd fight Chara every night rather than have Pap or any of the others have to face what I'm going through.'_

That's what Sans told himself, but if he were being completely honest... he didn't know how much longer he could take it. The short monster sat there for a while longer before deciding to head home. It had been several hours and, even with the extra insulation his new hoodie provided, he was beginning to feel cold. He swiftly opened a shortcut and stepped through, appearing right outside his house. Upon entering the building he was assailed by the smell of freshly baked ketchup cookies. A genuine smile made it's way onto his face as he stepped towards the kitchen.

“SANS?” He heard Pap call as he watched the older skeleton take a cookie sheet out of the oven. “IS THAT YOU? I MADE YOUR FAVORITE COOKIES!”

“Hey bro...” He trailed off, stealing one of the delicious morsels from a cooling rack before the other had a chance to notice. “What's the occasion?”

“I HAVE DECIDED THAT IT IS TIME TO BEGIN TAKING MY ROLE AS YOUR BIG BROTHER MORE SERIOUSLY!” Papyrus declared, turning to face him as a large grin spread across his face. “FOR TOO LONG YOU HAVE HAD TO ASSUME A ROLE WHICH WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE YOURS IN THE FIRST PLACE... BUT NO LONGER! YOU'RE ONLY EIGHTEEN... YOU HAVE SO MUCH LIFE LEFT TO LIVE AND I PROMISE TO BE THE BIG BROTHER YOU DESERVE FROM NOW ON! SO PLEASE... DO NOT HESITATE TO COME TO ME IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS!”

The cookie Sans had snatched hit the floor as his jaw fell open in shocked silence. He stood there, trying to comprehend the meaning behind his brothers speech. After nearly two minutes a nervous giggle escaped his mouth, quickly growing into hysteric laughter as he clutched his sides. Papyrus watched, staring concernedly at his slightly manic sibling before walking forward to wrap his arms around his baby brothers shaking form. It was at this moment that Sans realized he had tears running down his face. Even though he was still laughing, it sounded haunted... even to himself. He had let his mask slip once again and he knew, without a doubt, that his brother had seen what he'd tried so hard to keep hidden. Pap had seen the fine cracks forming around his soul.

“What are you saying Pappy?” He questioned, voice breaking as his laughs turned to sobs. “Why, after all this time, would you suddenly decide this!”

“Sans...” The taller skeleton started, his hold tightening slightly before being cut off by the younger monster.

“What did I do to make you so dissatisfied with the life we're living!” He cried, wrenching himself from his older bros grasp. “You have no idea what I've been through...”

“No, I don't... BECAUSE YOU WON'T TELL ME!” The older monster replied desperately. “WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PUSH ME AWAY!”

Papyrus watched as the most important person in his life broke down in front of him, unable to do anything as the cracks on his little brothers soul grew deeper.

“You have no clue how much I've done just to make sure you were happy!” Sans screamed, inexplicable hurt shining from his eyes. “Why do you want to ruin what we have!? I tried so hard... _so very hard_... and now you want to just throw it all away?”

Everything he was feeling... all of his pain, all of his uncertainty... was laid bare. He had nothing more to hide behind. What was left of his fragile mask had crumbled the moment Pap had decided to take away the only remaining thing he had to hold onto. He'd been through so much... so many timelines where he'd lost everyone important to him... and the only thing that kept him going what the fact that his brother depended on him. Now that was gone and he had nothing to chase away the dark thoughts that forever lingered in the back of his mind.

“Brother...” Pap implored, reaching out to the shorter skeleton. “Please tell me what's wrong. If you'd only let me in... I'm sure I could help you. Why have you locked yourself away from everyone that loves you!?”

Sans kept his head down, refusing to meet the other males eyes as he inched backwards towards the stairs. He knew he probably wasn't thinking clearly at the moment but all he wanted right now was to escape from those caring eyes that seemed to see right through him.

“I'm sorry... I just...” He began, anxiously pulling on the hem of his hoodie. “Pap... please.”

The elder took a step forward, soul clenching in worry as his strong little brother pleaded with him to drop the subject. As soon as the taller monster moved, Sans turned and bolted up the stairs to his room... immediately locking the door behind him. The realization that nothing would ever be the same between them took his breath away and he collapsed on his bed, tears falling like rain.

_'Why... why did this have to happen?'_ The distraught teen shook, body racked with sobs. _'Sure, Pap is three years older than me... but he never acted like it. Even when we were little I was the one who always took care of us so... why now? Why does he want to change that NOW?'_

He stayed like that, tears soaking his pillow, until he fell into a restless sleep and found himself in...

_The judgment hall. He'd stood in this very spot so many times before, whether it be in a dream or reality, and yet so much had changed. He was wary, unsure of his actions, but even so... he forced a smile firmly into place. He knew that Chara wanted to see his mask fall, she wanted to see him broken, but he would never allow that to happen... it was bad enough that his brother had witnessed him falling apart. Prying his thoughts back to the inevitable fight, he glanced around. The short monster could tell something was off. It was too still, too quiet, and the kid wasn't appearing at the far end of the hall like they usually did._

_'Oh no!' He thought, whipping around in time to feel a knife blade slice across his sternum in a sweeping arch._

_It was a wound he had received on multiple occasions... the same one that had killed him so many times. As he felt his body begin to give out, he used what little strength he had left to make his way out of the hall like he usually would. However, this time the child followed... eyes gleaming excitedly as she watched him struggle for breath._

“ _You know... I think I like this arrangement better.” Chara stated happily. “When I was controlling Frisk I was only able to kill you once unless I either loaded a save or preformed a reset. But you know what...?”_

_Sans' body was quickly becoming numb as he collapsed on the ground. He knew it wouldn't be much longer before he turned to dust, yet he somehow managed to find the strength to glare at the girl who was crouched a few feet away... a sick grin contorting her face._

_She stuck out her tongue in a teasing manner before continuing. “Now I don't need to worry about that. You see... even if you turn to dust in this dream... you won't actually die in the real world. Well... not yet at least.”_

_That startled the skeleton... though he couldn't say it wasn't a welcome relief. He would have hated to die before being able to tell his brother how sorry he was. Paying more attention, he held onto consciousness for as long as possible._

“ _Sure the wound will still be there but since you weren't battling in real life that measly little 1 HP of yours is safe. And that means that there's no escape from the pain. Every cut... every slice... you'll be forced to live with them and eventually you'll become too weak to do anything. When that day comes, you'll die as the ones you love are forced to watch... and there will be no reset this time.”_

_Struggling to form words, Sans' voice faltered. “I thou...thought you want...ed to gain con...tr...ol of me like... you di...d with Frisk?”_

“ _Well then... I guess you assumed wrong.” Chara smirked playfully as she poked his injured leg with the tip of her knife. “All I want is to see you suffer for all the times you stood in my way. I won't be satisfied until you completely give up on life and your soul shatters into thousands of tiny pieces, and judging by how many cracks it already has... that won't be long at all.”_

_At that moment the skeleton felt himself beginning to turn into dust yet he was too horrified to care. What he had just learned filled him with a kind of fear he'd never felt before. It was all encompassing... leaving him shaking so bad his bones rattled._

Sans awoke, a terrified scream ripping from his throat as his left eye burst to life, an explosion of blue magic swirling around him.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Pap had wanted to chase after the smaller monster as soon as he'd raced from the room... but knew it would only push the other further away. Instead he carefully packed away the cookies that he'd made, making sure they were in plain sight on the counter for whenever Sans decided to venture out of his room again. He then went about the house, tidying up anything that was out of place and generally trying to keep his mind off the younger male. Chores don't last forever though and a couple hours later they finally ran out... leaving the older monster with nothing to distract him from his thoughts.

_'Why does my brother insist on keeping secrets from me?'_ He reflected as he sat down on the couch. _'He knows I'd support him no matter what... so why does he always try to face everything alone?'_

Papyrus had just dozed off when he heard a sound that would have stopped his heart if he had one. Rushing up the stairs two at a time, the taller skeleton made his way toward Sans' room. He'd never heard such a sound come from his usually unshakable little brother and it frightened him to no end, especially after what had happened only a few short hours ago.

“SANS? WHAT'S WRONG!?” Pap shouted, eyes widening as he saw the blue light emitting from beneath the door.

Twisting the nob revealed it to be locked as another scream sounded from inside the room. With panic building, Papyrus summoned his magic... using a large bone to break through the wooden door. The sight that he was met with as he forced his way into the room stopped him in his tracks. Sans was huddled in the far corner, knees pulled up to his chest and his head clenched in his bony hands as his magic swirled violently around him. Nearly every object in the room was encased in a blue glow as they floated in mid-air but what drew Paps attention was the growing puddle of blood his brother was sitting in.

“Sans...” He uttered in quiet disbelief before rushing forward, ignoring the magical wind that tried to push him back. “BROTHER WHAT HAPPENED!? PLEASE... ANSWER ME!”

Papyrus pulled his siblings hands away from his head and grasped it in his own, forcing the younger male to meet his worried gaze. Tears fell heavily from both monsters as Pap continued trying to calm the teen down. He had to get the magic back under control or his baby brother could seriously harm himself.

“Sans... listen to me.” Papyrus reasoned. “You are safe... at home. I'm here... just focus on my voice... everything will be okay. We'll figure this out together.”

_'Thank god he's still alive.'_ The elder thought comforted somewhat, as he got a better look at the injury. _'I don't know how, a wound like that should have killed him, but I don't care. All that matters is that he's still with me.'_

Slowly Sans was brought back to reality. He blinked in shock as he saw his brother hovering over him, hands still pressed against his cheekbones.

“P...Pap?” He asked uncertainly, breath escaping in painful gasps as his magic slowly returned to it's dormant state.

“Yes Sans... it's me.” The normally exuberant skeleton replied, a sigh of relief escaping him. “I'm right here.”

The younger monster launched himself forward without warning, wrapping his arms around his brother and burying his face in the crook of his neck. He stayed there... shivering, whether from fear or pain he didn't know. He felt his bros arms encircle him and felt his head rest against his own for a moment before the other pulled away. He looked up, hurt reflected on his face.

“Shh... it's okay. I'm not leaving you.” Papyrus consoled upon seeing his expression. “There will be plenty of time for comfort once we get that cut taken care of. I don't want to risk losing you to blood loss.”

He swiftly crossed over to the shelf where he knew Sans kept his first aid kit and pulled it down. After gathering the disinfectant, antibiotic cream, and a roll of gauze he returned to his little brothers side.

“This may hurt.” He said apologetically before disinfecting the injury.

Sans let out a hiss as it made the cut burn agonizingly but otherwise remained still, letting Pap take care of him without any fuss. The treatment proceeded quickly and soon he had a thick layer of bandages wrapped around his rib cage. This of course meant Papyrus had seen the other cut on his side. After checking it over to make sure it was healing okay, his big brother demanded that he show him any other injuries he was hiding. Paps face was unreadable as he checked over both the stab wound on his shoulder as well as the slice on his leg. After he was satisfied that they would be fine the spaghetti loving monster stood, gently picking Sans up to place him on the bed, shadows obscuring his face.

“Listen Pap... it's not as bad as it seems.” The smaller skeleton tried to explain after calming down, wincing slightly as he shifted into a more comfortable position.

“Who did this?” Papyrus asked, voice deadly quiet.

“Like I said it's...” The younger tried again, but was interrupted.

“SANS!” The older male cut him off, teeth clenched so tight he could hear them grinding against one another. “WHO... HURT... YOU?”

Seeing no other way out of this predicament, the teen came to a decision. He'd had enough of these secrets! All it was doing was tearing his family apart and he was unwilling to let that happen. It was time for Pap to learn the truth, and besides... what did he have to lose? He glanced off to the side where his bloody t-shirt lay in a crumpled heap. After all, If things kept going like they were... he'd be dead within a week. Taking a deep breath to calm his frayed nerves, Sans anxiously met the others gaze.

“It was Chara. I don't know how but... she's managed to invade my dreams and any time she hurts me it transfers to real life.” He admitted, fear and pain written on his face as he awaited his big brothers reaction. “Please help me Papyrus. I... I don't know what to do anymore.”

 


	4. A Fragile Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Okay, we go a little more in depth here with Sans and Papyrus as the older brother learns more about what the younger has been through. I realize that Sans may be a little ooc but he's dealing with the after effects of watching everyone die in multiple timelines including himself. I feel it's only right for him to be a little broken after everything he's had and still is experiencing. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter :) Don't forget to review and let me know what you think!**
> 
> **Disclaimer: Toby Fox is and forever will be the owner of Undertale. I only own the plot of this story.**

Papyrus was silent as he knelt down in front of his shaking brother and pulled him into a tight embrace. He was having trouble wrapping his head around what he'd just learned. Even so, he could tell that there was more to it than what Sans had just told him... but he'd focus more on that once the teen had calmed down.

“Sans, I know this is hard but I need you to take deep breaths.” The taller skeleton instructed. “If you don't get your emotions under control... you may wind up having a panic attack. Your magic is very unstable and I don't want you caught in the backlash if it goes haywire again due to the stress you've been under.”

The younger monsters eye flared up as if in agreement and his blue soul was revealed. Pap cringed as he saw the ever widening cracks across the surface. If things persisted like this then his brother was sure to fall in the near future.

_'NO! DON'T THINK THAT WAY!”_ He chided himself as he watched his little brother slow his breathing until it matched his own controlled pace. _“There is no way THE GREAT PAPYRUS will allow such a fate to befall his only brother.”_

“I know how inclined you are to keep secrets but I need to know the whole truth so I can help you.” Pap implored once the other skeleton had regained control.

The younger monster froze. He'd been ready to reveal what he knew but... how would his brother react? How would the others react? Sans was certain that Papyrus would contact the others after learning about the timelines. It's one thing for them to learn about Chara... it's another for his friends to find out how many times he'd failed them. With a stubborn shake of his head the teen turned away, curling up as he stared at the wall.

“You always try to do everything on your own, well guess what? It's not healthy and I refuse to allow it any longer!” The elder declared, voice rising in frustration. “WHY CAN'T YOU JUST TRUST ME FOR ONCE!?”

Sans started at the unexpected question, whipping his head around to meet his bros teary gaze.

“I do trust you Pap...” He replied after a moment, deep emotion openly displayed on his face. “More than anyone.”

“THEN WHY NOT TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?” The older male pleaded, reaching out to grasp the others hands in his own.

“I just want you to be happy... that's all I've ever wanted.” The smaller skeleton admitted, voice barely louder than a whisper. “I've fought so hard for it.”

“Do you really think I would be happy in a world where you are gone?” The elder said, voice unsteady.

The pun loving monsters mind was drawn back to the many timelines where he'd watched his brother die. All he'd wished for was that the reset would come so that he could see Papyrus again. There had been times when he hadn't even found the strength to challenge the human, instead wallowing in his despair while monsters were hunted down and killed in cold blood. The guilt he now carried from his inaction would forever haunt him. Yet he knew, in the end, he had contributed to the forming of this brighter timeline. He knew from experience that Pap would never be happy if he were to die. Lifting his head, Sans took in the defeated slump of his brothers shoulders as he made his decision.

“No... you wouldn't.” He replied at last, surprising the older skeleton as resolve filled his eyes. “You'd better get comfy Pappy... this will be a long story.”

Papyrus' mood brightened immediately at the realization of what his sibling was about do. Sans couldn't keep a small smile from appearing, though his face fell shortly after. He knew that what he was about to reveal would hurt his big brother... it may even cause the loss of some of the innocence he'd been trying to protect. Closing his eye sockets, the younger took a deep breath before launching into the tale of love, hope, and determination. It took several hours to finish the story and much to his chagrin, Sans had broken down several times, unable to continue as sobs wracked his small frame. At one time he'd been so lost in his thoughts that he'd become oblivious to everything else around him, only to find himself wrapped in his bros calming arms when the memories receded. To his surprise Papyrus hadn't interrupted once, though his expression darkened several times and he utterly refused to release his grip on Sans' hand.

“Oh Sans...” Pap whispered, heartbroken as he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the top of his brothers head. “How could I have been so blind... there were so many signs. The way you sometimes flinch when Frisk approaches or when I catch you staring at me as if I'd been gone for ages and you were finally seeing me again. I'm so sorry you had to face that alone!”

The older skeletons eyes trailed down to Sans' chest, taking in the bandage he had wrapped around it mere hours ago. He also remembered the times his brother would rub the area where the cut was now located as if pained by some unknown injury... now he knew why and the knowledge brought with it a fierce sense of protectiveness.

“That wound...” He trailed off, dread filling his soul as the younger locked eyes with him. “It's... It's the one that killed you all those times... isn't it?”

“Yea.” Sans admitted, relieved by how well Papyrus seemed to be taking it. “This was that little brats go to method of getting rid of me.”

“Hey, don't worry...” He continued upon noticing the horrified look on the taller males face. “That's in the past now.”

The younger monster flashed a reassuring look which the other slowly returned, though they could both see lingering doubt in the the eye sockets of the other.

_'But is it really?'_ Was the unspoken question that was passed between them as they thought of the nightmares currently plaguing the youngest.

Silence fell as the two brothers broke eye contact, each becoming lost in their own thoughts.

_'He's been through so much... and I was never there for him. Even in the timelines where he begged me not to confront the human I was a bonehead and refused to listen to his warnings.'_ Pap reflected, regret hanging over him like a dark cloud. _'I forced him to watch as that human killed me over and over, leaving him to face her on his own once again. It's painful to know that Sans gave up like he did during those few timelines and I can see how much it hurts him... but I don't blame him for it. I feel as if I'd have done the same if I were in his position. He lost everyone he cared for so many times, and yet... he refused to let that human win.'_

Papyrus looked at the younger skeleton with new respect. The other was still lost in thought, never noticing the pride filled gaze that had fallen on him.

_'MY BROTHER IS THE HERO OF THE UNDERGROUND...'_ Papyrus thought in awe, before it was replaced with sorrow as he once again caught a glimpse of the fragile soul. _'But at what cost?'_

His attention was drawn to his brothers face upon hearing a strangled choking sound.

“SANS!” He shouted, reaching out to support the teen as he suddenly collapsed.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

_'I can't believe I actually told Pap about everything! I didn't even leave out the parts where I had stopped caring and gave up. What does he think of me after learning how I abandoned everyone to death because I saw no point in trying? He must be so disappointed!'_ The fear that his older brother would be angry with him made the teens breathing increase once more until he was gasping for air. _'Will he kick me out? Stop talking to me? He didn't seem mad but... maybe he was waiting until I had finished? He was pretty quiet and that's not like him. He'd usually have interrupted me multiple times and he didn't... not even once. What will I do if he tells me to leave? I've already lost him so many times... I don't think I could bear for it to happen again!”_

With that last thought, his throat tightened and he was unable to get a breath. He dimly recognized his brother shouting his name before hands were on his shoulders, holding him upright. His vision slowly faded as his lungs began to work again, but it was too late... and he let himself succumb to the bitter darkness.

_Even in unconsciousness Sans found himself once more in the golden light on the judgment hall. Quiet snickers were heard from the shadows along the left wall and he turned to face them, already tired from his previous anxiety attack. The ketchup loving skeleton knew that there was no point to this, she would just hurt him again anyway... there was no escape. Yet even so... he refused to give up. He'd done that too many times at it was._

“ _What do you want this time Chara?” He asked, resignation in his voice yet fiery resolve burning in his eye sockets._

_The laugh came again as the fallen child stepped into the light._

“ _Oh, you know.” She mocked, waving the knife in the air before her face. “Same old, same old. I just want you to suffer. But then... that's how you got here wasn't it? You were so worried that little Pappy would turn his back on you that you passed out... kinda pathetic don't ya think?”_

“ _Shut up!” He yelled. “That's none of your business! You've never cared for anyone other than yourself so you have no idea how painful it is to lose someone.”_

“ _No... not really.” The girl replied smugly. “But I always did love the look on your face whenever I killed your brother.”_

_Sans growled deep in his throat as he summoned his magic, immediately sending out bones and gaster blasters in a combination attack. The kid dodged with practiced ease, however, and soon raced forward. Her knife swinging towards his face._

Papyrus held his brother as he passed out, softly laying him down on his bed before sitting beside him. He took the teens bony hand, worry showing in every inch of his being. If what Sans had told him earlier was true, which he didn't doubt it was, then he would be returned to that awful place and forced to fight the evil human once again... and he was unable to help. The elder monster tried several times to wake the other, but to no avail. It would have been different if he'd just been asleep rather than passed out but for the time being the only thing he could do is offer support and hope for the best.

“Come on brother... you can beat her.” He stated desperately as he watched a shallow cut appear on the smaller skeletons face.

Releasing his hold for a moment, Pap grabbed the medical supplies still lying by the end of the bed and efficiently took care of the lazily bleeding wound. He then settled into his previous position, ready to care for any other injuries his baby bro may attain before he awakens.

“I promise Sans...” The spaghetti loving monster said in a hushed voice. “I will find a way to save you. After all, you've saved everyone else, it's the least I can do.

_Sans held a hand against his wounded cheekbone as blood drizzled down his face. He turned a hate filled glare to the child snickering at him from a few feet away before throwing more bones her way. One of his attacks managed to nick Chara's left arm causing her to let out an angry hiss. She jumped back, effectively avoiding the rest as they soared under her._

“ _You'll pay for that you worthless bag of bones.” She snarled, knife pointed directly at his face._

“ _It'll be worth it.” He replied, disdainfully. “Any hit I manage to make is a victory in my eyes.”_

“ _Then I'll just have to make sure it won't happen again.” She declared, charging forward full force._

_They fought far longer than usual, most likely because Sans was unable to wake up. Thus he was forced to suffer many minor cuts but had luckily avoided taking any serious damage. Now, though, he was completely exhausted. His breathing was nothing but painful gasps as he tried to get enough oxygen into his system and his entire body was quivering with the effort of keeping himself upright, yet Chara seemed unaffected._

“ _How... are you... not tired?” He panted in between words, feeling a little lightheaded._

“ _Hmm...” The fallen child hummed, smirking at the weary skeleton. “You don't need to concern yourself with that. After all... you're about to get a very rude wake up call.”_

_Pain flared in Sans' head and he immediately fell to his knees, arms wrapping around his skull as he writhed in pain._

_'How did she hit me?” He thought, clenching his teeth together to stop a gasp of pain from escaping. 'I didn't see her move!'_

_He just had time to notice Chara approaching, an evil smile on her face, before his eyes snapped open..._

And he was suddenly staring up into his brothers concerned and slightly frightened gaze.

“BROTHER, PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE ALRIGHT!” Papyrus shouted, swiftly dragging the younger monster into a tight embrace.

Sans winced as his head was moved to lean against his bros bony shoulder, causing the pain to flare up twice as bad before settling into a dull ache.

“I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!” The elder continued, shaking, as his nerves got the best of him. “YOU WERE LYING THERE AND INJURIES KEPT APPEARING ON YOUR BODY! I DID MY BEST TO PATCH EACH OF THEM UP BUT THEN... you shouted in pain and grabbed your head.”

“Shh... it's okay Pappy.” Sans tried to comfort, even as it felt like his skull would split in two. “I'm alright, a little worse for wear but... it's nothing I can't handle.”

“I've been through worse.” He added under his breath, though the other male still managed to hear it.

Knowing it was probably true made Paps eyes well up with tears as his grip tightened, unwilling to release his baby brother who had suffered though so much on his own. Sans dizzily returned the hug.

“Sans...” The normally energetic monster began quietly, unable to speak louder as his eyes searched the younger skeletons face, wincing when he say the poorly concealed pain. “You've got a large crack on the back of your skull. It looks like someone smashed you over the head with a rock.”

The short skeletons eyes widened as he reached up to touch his head, only to find it already wrapped in a heavy layer of gauze.

“Guess that's the reason it feels like my head's been used as a pinata.” Sans tried to joke as he fought a wave of dizziness, hoping to relieve some of the guilt he could see blossoming in his bros eye sockets.

That look didn't belong on Paps face. He was supposed to be innocent, naive, and joyful... not full of guilt, anger, and sadness. It just wasn't right! Sans knew he would give anything if it meant his brother could go back to being that way... but the damage was already done. The moment he'd broke through the door and found his little brother sitting in a puddle of blood his soul had allowed other emotions into it. No, that wasn't right. Sans had noticed Papyrus changing ever since they'd managed to break free of the time loops.

“Guess you're more observant than I gave ya credit for, huh Pap?” He whispered to himself, too low for the taller monster to understand what he'd said.

“What was that Sans?” Papyrus asked, worry clearly written in his tone.

“Oh, it was nothing... just talking to myself.” The ketchup lover dismissed.

His older brother gave him a doubtful look but didn't push the subject, choosing instead to help the other lay back down against the pillows. He then crossed to the other side of the room, grabbed the garbage bin, and repositioned it to the side of the bed... within easy reaching distance should the need arise.

“I'm going to call Toriel and see if she can come over.” Pap admitted, eyes glued to the floor in uncertainty before meeting the others stare. “I want her to take a look at your injuries. I've never been skilled in healing magic and hers is second to none so... no arguments okay? I'm also calling Alphys and Undine. They have a right to know everything that you've done for them. They can relate the news to Mettaton and Asgore since I happen to know those two are very busy at the moment. I realize that this is not really my decision to make but please brother... I can't stand to see you in so much pain.”

The older skeleton waited quietly as he let his words sink into his brothers head. Because of the probability of a concussion he knew it may take several moments for the teen to comprehend what he'd just been told. When he did, Papyrus watched as fear flitted across the younger males face... making him reach out and place a comforting hand on his brothers shoulder. Sans turned his head, frightened eyes locking with the older skeletons as he nodded in acceptance.

“You're right Pap.” He admitted, voice wavering as he tried to remain strong. “But what if they don't believe me? I was surprised when you accepted it so easily...”

Papyrus felt slightly hurt by the lack of trust, though he knew it was understandable. Sans had been forced to rely only on himself for so long, remaining strong for the sake of others yet breaking a little each time he failed to protect the ones he loved. The taller monster felt deep regret at having been the cause of so much of his baby bros suffering, but that was in the past. Right now all he cared about was helping his brother get well again and for that they needed the aid of their friends.

 


	5. The Merit Of Friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: So here we have a chapter that is heartwarming and full of feels, especially between our favorite skelebros :) I wanted to do something a little lighter since this story has been pretty dark up til now. Sans gets a well deserved break from most of the pain and suffering and a lot of comfort from his friends... well most of them anyways. I really hope you like this chapter... It's my favorite of the ones I've written so far! Please remember to let me know what you think with a review ;)**
> 
> **Disclaimer: It's a good thing I don't own Undertale, we'll leave it at that. Toby Fox, however, does.**

The door closed quietly behind Papyrus as he left his brothers room, slowly making his way downstairs before pulling out his phone. Shortly after Sans had agreed to calling the others, he had thrown up. Painful dry-heaves wracked his small frame as the little food he'd managed to eat that day was expelled from his body. To say that Pap was upset would be an understatement. He was worried about his little brother, that's true, but he also felt angry. Angry that Chara had been hurting the smaller skeleton for so long, angry that Sans had never confided in him about what was happening, but mostly angry at himself for never noticing how much pain and fear his brother was dealing with. He should have been there for his brother instead of running off with Undyne or focusing on those stupid puzzles! Sighing, the tall monster dialed Tori's number... there would be plenty of time for regret later.

"Hello?" He heard a soft voice answer. "This is Toriel."

"HELLO, IT IS I... THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" Pap greeted enthusiastically, before settling into a more serious mood. "Could you come over? We would really appreciate the use of your healing magic."

"Oh my goodness, what has happened?" She asked concernedly as he heard shuffling on the other end of the line. "Are you hurt?"

"It's Sans..." The spaghetti loving skeleton replied, barely louder than a whisper as he fought the tears trying to form in his eye sockets. "I promise I'll tell you more once you get here, but please hurry... he's in really bad shape."

"I'll be there in about half an hour." Tori replied as he heard the sound of a door closing, before adding as an after thought. "I'm so glad that Frisk and Asriel spent the night with their father... I'd hate for them to see one of their favorite uncles hurt."

He hung up after thanking her, relieved that help was on it's way, and swiftly dialed Undyne's number.

"HELLO? UNDYNE?" The skeleton asked as he heard her pick up. "IS ALPHYS THERE WITH YOU?"

"Yea, What's it to ya?" She asked impatiently as if he'd caught her at a bad time. "This better be important Papyrus! Me and Alphys were just about to watch this awesome new anime she found."

"It is." He assured, sighing. "I need you both to come over. Sans and I, well... mostly Sans, have something to tell you."

"Can't he just say it over the phone?" The fish lady complained.

"Do...don't be r...rude." Pap could barely make out Alphys' timid voice in the background as she cautioned her lover.

"Ugh... fine!" The redhead conceded, somewhat reluctantly. "We're on our way."

The line went dead a moment later and Papyrus set his cell on the table. He then made his way back upstairs, hoping the shorter monster hadn't gotten sick again since he'd left. As he re-entered his brothers room the younger glanced up from where he was sitting, comfortably propped against his pillows.

"Are they coming?" He questioned hesitantly, his head more clear than it had been since before he'd received the head injury.

The elder nodded solemnly as he took a seat beside the wounded monster. All he got in response was a resigned slump of the shoulders. He knew how worried Sans was about the impending meeting but he also trusted their friends. The support of the ones he held dear would be the best thing for his brother at this point. Maybe it would help get back some of his lost confidence.

"Sans... you have fought on your own for so long that you've forgotten how to rely on the ones who care for you." Pap stated, shaking his head sorrowfully as he placed a finger under the smaller males chin, encouraging him to meet his eyes. "You are not alone anymore brother. I'm here for you, and I know the others will be as well once they hear the truth."

The teens breath caught in his throat as he searched his brothers face, bony hands grasping at the hem of his hoodie.

"How can you be so certain Pappy?" He asked downheartedly, voice barely audible.

"I HAVE A NATURALLY BRIGHT OUTLOOK ON LIFE!" The elder exclaimed, hoping to lighten the mood, before placing an affectionate hand on top of his baby bros skull. "But seriously, just have faith... it will all work out in the end."

Sans managed a small smile as his optimistic brother brought him into a warm embrace.

"I hope you're right." He declared moments before the doorbell rang.

Both of their heads turned at the sound, nearly crashing into each other, and Papyrus stood... promptly heading towards the door. He paused at the threshold, glancing back at the other before coming to a hasty decision. Turning on his heel, Pap returned to his brothers side. Sans stared up at him with questioning eyes as the taller skeleton bent over him. The teen let out a surprised squeak as the older male carefully scooped him up into his long arms, holding him securely against his chest as he once more made his way across the room to the door.

"Wha... what are you doing Papyrus?" He stammered uncertainly, gripping tightly to his brothers signature scarf.

"It'll be easier for Toriel to heal your injuries in the living room where she'll have more space." The spaghetti lover replied. "Besides, I'm sure everyone would rather talk in a room that doesn't have a bunch of blood pooled in the corner."

_'I'll have to clean that up later.'_ He silently reminded himself. _'Right now though, I've got more important matters to deal with.'_

Sans cringed at the thought of the others seeing his room and quickly uttered an agreement. They would likely freak out enough as it was when they saw him and learned about the timelines. But still...

_'Why do I feel so uneasy?'_ The short monster thought to himself as he was carried down the flight of stairs into the main room. _'My brother has never lied to me. If he says the others won't abandon me... I believe him.'_

The youngest skeleton was unable to suppress the pained gasp that escaped his mouth as his brother laid him on the couch but he quickly hid it behind a grin. Papyrus sighed as the teenager smiled, knowing he'd done so in the hopes that he wouldn't worry the older monster more than he already had.

_'Can't you see Sans!?'_ He cried internally as he watched the smile disappear once again. _'You don't have to keep pretending everything is all right. You're only hurting yourself.'_

The doorbell sounded once more, snapping the costume wearing skeleton out of his thoughts and he slowly walked to the door... taking a calming breath before opening it. Undyne stood there, arms wrapped around her torso and a glare on her face while Alphys stood just behind, not fairing any better from the perpetual cold of Snowdin.

"UNDYNE, ALPHYS! I'M SO GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IT!" The energetic monster exclaimed loudly as he ushered them into the house.

"You've got some nerve keeping us waiting out in the snow Papyrus!" Undyne reprimanded, dragging her girlfriend into the warm home.

They made their way further into the room, the shy dinosaur immediately noticing Sans sprawled on the couch and her eyes widened as she took in the multitude of bandages.

"What could be so important that it couldn't wait for..." The fish lady trailed off as the smaller female pulled away, a sob echoing in the quiet room as she rushed to her friends side.

Undyne's attention turned toward the sofa and her mouth nearly fell open in shock.

"What the heck happened!?" She demanded, regaining her voice as she took in the injured form of the normally lazy skeleton. "How in Asgore's name did Sans get hurt so badly? How is he even alive for that matter?"

Papyrus winced at the last question. The fact that his younger brother had only 1HP was known among their closest and most trusted friends and no one else. They kept it secret knowing that some of the more malicious monsters may try to take advantage of the teen if they knew. Even so... they made sure to keep an eye on Sans whenever they could, though it proved to be a little more difficult due to his shortcuts. The taller skeleton knew that the others would feel guilty once they learned what had occurred, but he also knew they would stand by his brother just like he would.

He was saved from answering the enraged warrior by the sound of the doorbell ringing for the third time. Pap swiftly crossed the room, coming back seconds later with a worried Toriel. The goat mom took one look at the prone figure of her friend and all worry disappeared, replaced instead with the desire to help as she knelt beside him.

"Hey, Tori." Sans greeted, his voice weaker than it should have been as blood began to seep through the gauze. "Guess I'm pretty boned up, huh?"

She gave him an unamused look before speaking. "As much as I love your puns Sans... please do not joke about you being hurt. I could never laugh at that."

The smaller monster turned his head away, not wanting to see the concern clearly portrayed on everyone's faces. He felt terrible about being the one to put it there and knew it would only be worse once he recounted his story. He felt a soft paw on his unwounded shoulder and squeezed his eye sockets shut, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"Papyrus, I need you to tell me which of his injuries are the most dire so I can treat them first." Toriel commanded, turning solemn eyes on the taller skeleton while keeping her hand firmly in place. "Afterwards, if I have enough magic, I'll move on to the smaller ones."

Pap held a finger up to his chin, concentrating on ranking his brothers wounds from most deadly to least. It was easy enough to decide on the first and second but the smaller ones where all relatively similar.

"He's got a large gash that runs diagonally across his entire rib cage. It was still bleeding pretty heavily when I bandaged it." The spaghetti lover revealed. "There's also a large crack on the back of his skull. I can only assume it was caused by some blunt object smashing into him with excessive force."

The other three monsters were looking at Sans with mixed expressions of horror and concern as the younger kept his eyes closed, trying his best to block out the world around him without falling asleep.

"Very well." Tori stated, swallowing around the lump that had settled in her throat. "I'll begin with the cut since he's still in a precarious situation due to it's bleeding."

The queen helped the boy take his hoodie off before quickly and efficiently unwrapping the teens chest as his brother sat behind him, holding him up with careful hands. The only sound he emitted was a soft grunt of pain when the bandage stuck slightly to his bones. Alphys let out a muffled whimper, burying her face into her girlfriends shoulder as they sat nearby on the floor... waiting to see if they could be of any use.

"Oh crap." Undyne muttered, teeth grinding together as she saw the gruesome damage that had been done. "Who the hell was heartless enough to do this?"

The goat woman focused her healing magic, ignoring the crude language of the spear wielder. Mending the bones that had nearly been sliced in two and stopping the bleeding at the same time was difficult, but within twenty minutes all that remained was a thin crack where the cut had previously been. One more push of her powers and that faded as well. Sans sighed in relief as the most painful injury was taken care of, though he was still slightly dizzy as Toriel moved on to his damaged skull. The healing process went much the same as before and soon all that was left was unblemished bone. The older monster sat back, breathing heavily as she examined her work.

"Well, that takes care of the worst of it." She stated, relief apparent in he voice. "I can only spare enough magic for one more wound though. Those two were worse that I previously thought and took quite a bit out of me, I'm not as young as I used to be after all."

Sans opened his eyes, guiltily meeting his friends tired gaze. "Sorry Tori, I'm such a bonehead for putting ya through this."

The royals eyes softened as she leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on the boys forehead.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for." The goat lady insisted protectively. "It's clear someone has been hurting you and when I get my hands on whoever is responsible for this... I'll show them not to mess with my boys."

A blue blush spread across the youngest monsters cheeks as he sat up, rubbing the back of his skull in embarrassment while the others chuckled. Papyrus instantly moved to sit beside him, making sure he was steady enough on his own as well as offering comfort. It wouldn't be long before the others demanded an explanation and he knew the process would be hard on his brother, especially emotionally.

"I think the stab wound in his shoulder is the most problematic out of his remaining injuries." The tall skeleton announced, giving his baby brother a once over. "THE OTHERS WERE ALL RELATIVELY MINOR AND LOVINGLY TREATED BY THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

"Pap..." Sans whined, hiding his face in his hands as the laughter increased.

"I know you are smiling Sans." The older male declared, reaching over to gently tickle the smaller skeleton. "Do not try to deny it."

The younger peaked out, taking in the caring faces of the ones around him. Alphys still had tears trailing down her scaly face and Undyne's eyes held a dangerous glint but... they were happy. Happy that he'd be okay. Sans' own smile widened as he met each of their gazes and he knew that his big brother had been right. They would never abandon him... even once they learned the truth.

"Let's get that stab wound healed and then I believe you owe us an explanation, young man." The goat mother said, leaving no room for dispute.

"Y...yea." He relented, knowing there was no way he could worm his way out of it. Besides... they deserved to know.

It took less than five minutes before Tori pulled away leaving his scapula as good as new.

"Now you're still going to be weak for quite a while." The larger monster explained. "You lost a lot of blood so I don't want you pushing yourself too hard."

"Okay, old lady." The teen replied, earning a disbelieving snort for his audacity.

She then left for the kitchen as the shorter monster pulled his hoodie back over his head. The queen returned several minutes later, cups of hot tea balanced on a tray as well as some of the cookies she'd found on the counter. Each of the gathered monsters gladly took a cup and Sans grabbed a handful of cookies, sending a grateful smile to his brother before biting into one.

"Man Pappy... these are the best!" He exclaimed, happily munching one of the tasty treats.

Upon hearing the teens praise Undyne, Alphys, and Toriel all bit into their own cookies... only to spit it out moments later as the taste hit their tongues. The three girls immediately did their best to get rid of the horrible flavor as they washed their mouths out with tea. As this was happening the skelebros were nearly dying of laughter as they held onto each other to keep from falling off the couch. Once they had all settled down, Sans grinned cheekily.

"Well guys..." He began, glancing around at his friends and older brother mischievously. "I'd say that was pretty... humerus... wouldn't you? Guess ketchup cookies aren't your cup of tea."

Papyrus groaned as usual but everyone present realized it was fake as they saw the relief poorly concealed within the taller skeletons eyes. It was nice to hear the youngest joking again, though they could tell something was still bothering him.

"Th...that was the m...most disgusting thing I've ev...ever eaten." Alphys spoke quietly, disgust plainly seen on her reptilian face.

"I'm afraid I have to agree." Toriel concurred, fur ruffled as she suppressed a shudder.

"How the heck do you classify those as the best, ya goofball?" Undyne shouted, glaring at the smirking teen.

"Welp... I guess it's cause they're made of my favorite food." Sans replied, shrugging nonchalantly as he stuffed another cookie into his mouth.

His unconcerned attitude just seemed to infuriate the other monster even more as she jumped to her feet.

"Gah! Ketchup isn't food!" The fish lady screamed in frustration, reaching forward to grab the front of the younger monsters shirt... only for her hand to be caught before reaching her goal.

"UNDYNE! I respect you very much but YOU WILL NOT SUPLEX MY BROTHER RIGHT AFTER HE WAS HEALED!" Papyrus declared protectively, still holding tight to the others wrist.

Sans pulled back, trying to avoid the females wrath. In that instant all he could see was Chara, knife raised as she rushed towards him. Unbeknownst to the smaller monster, a spark of fear had found it's way into his eyes and his breathing increased, barely perceptible to all but one.

"Come on!" She exclaimed angrily. "Do you really think I'd do that? I know better! I was just gonna knock a little sense into him."

"NO... UNDYNE! NOW SIT DOWN!" The other replied decisively before adding under his breath. "Now to calm my brother."

The older skeleton released his grip on the warrior, fairly satisfied upon seeing the mark he'd left. Seconds later he was pressing a soothing hand to the teens cheek as his breathing slowly evened out.

"See Sans, I won't let anyone hurt you anymore." Pap whispered lowly, too quiet for the others to hear as he rested his baby bros head on his shoulder. "Not even Undyne."

Tears leaked out of the younger skeletons wide eyes as he clung to his brother. He didn't care if the others thought him weak. He needed this. It had been so long since he'd dared to hope. Even after they were free of the loops he'd had a hard time believing it. Always thinking that one day he'd wake up and be forced to experience the pain and suffering all over again. But now... now Papyrus was slowly helping him realize that those awful days were behind him. Sure, he still had Chara haunting him like some deranged poltergeist, but even so... the teen wasn't alone.

"Can someone please explain what's going on here." Undyne growled, successfully rousing Sans from his thoughts. "Why the hell did it look like Sans was beginning to have a panic attack!?"

"BECAUSE HE WAS!" Papyrus snarled loudly in response, arms still encompassing the younger skeleton as he turned enraged eyes on his mentor. "You triggered it the moment you raised your hand against him. Sans is in a very fragile state right now. Once you listen to what he has to say... you'll understand."

Toriel smiled as the other two sat dumbfounded. She had known from the moment they'd first met that the older brother was smarter than he let on. She was honestly surprised the neither Alphys nor Undyne had figured that out by now.

"I think it's about time you make us understand then, don't you?" The queen proclaimed, knowledgeable eyes studying the brothers as they pulled away from one another... an unspoken conversation passing between them.

Slowly, Sans looked up as Papyrus' hand entwined with his own... offering silent support. The younger monster hesitated as a wave of painful memories threatened to engulf him, but he quickly braced himself. This was for the best. He didn't know how but he was certain the others would be able to help him, all he had to do was trust in them... and in himself. Nodding his head, Sans held tightly to his older brother, using him as a lifeline. It was time...


	6. Calm Before The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Well here's the next chapter. I had so much trouble writing a part in this it was so frustrating. I knew what I wanted to say in my head but every time I tried typing it... the message I was trying to convey came out all wrong! Grr... oh well, I think I finally got it figured out. Next chapter will be a little darker than these last two but not too bad, I don't think. I hope this chapter it to your liking. Please leave a review and let me know what you think ;)**
> 
> **Disclaimed: Toby Fox is the creator/owner of Undertale. Sadly, I will never have that honor.**

It had taken several hours and Sans had nearly been interrupted countless times by a certain fish lady, though each time she went to open her mouth Papyrus would quickly step in... making sure his brother could continue in peace. Now the tale was finished and he glanced around at his gathered friends, seeing the shock and pain written so clearly on their faces as their eyes welled with tears. Even his brother, who had already heard the story, was unable to keep the liquid at bay as he tightly gripped Sans' hand in his own. Upon locking eyes with the taller skeleton, a broken sob ripped from his throat and he was pulled into a hug, the elder rubbing soothing circles on his back as he squeezed his eye sockets closed... not wanting to see the betrayed looks he was certain his friends would wear once the truth fully settled into their minds.

_'This is it... they know!'_ He thought anxiously, allowing his big brother to pick him up so that he was sitting sideways across his lap... face buried protectively in the soft scarf. _'What do they think of me? Are they mad? Disappointed? I let them down so many times... I gave up... I..."_

"You've gotta be freaking kidding me!" Sans flinched violently at the unexpected shout, clinging even tighter to the older skeleton as he heard a fist connect with their table.

The normally excitable monster glared at his mentor, silently telling her off for startling his baby bro. Undyne rubbed the back of her head with one hand, ashamed that she hadn't been able to keep her anger at bay.

"Sans..." Papyrus' soothing voice implored, making the younger pull back slightly, opening his eyes to meet his brothers gaze. "I know what you are thinking and I want you to stop it right now! None of us are angry at you... not even Undyne. We all know you did your best."

The female warrior glanced up sharply upon hearing what her student had said, her mind trying to comprehend what she'd heard.

_'Wait... what?'_ She asked herself, understanding dawning on her scaly face. _'Does that numbskull really think we'd be mad at him!? He fought that evil human countless times after watching everyone die! Sans gave it is all even though he was literally looking his death in the eyes! I don't think I'd have been able to do that time after time and still remain sane. Especially if I was the only one to remember any of it! What the hell? How'd he end up thinking we'd be angry about that!?'_

She watched as the younger monster turned away... shame marring his features as his hands tugged at the hem of his hoodie. It seemed to have become a nervous habit for the guy as of late. Both her and Alphys had noticed that he tended to fiddle with it whenever he became anxious or uncomfortable... which seemed to be almost constantly.

Her eyes narrowed in hatred as another thought crossed her mind, though she made sure to hide it from the Sans. _'Even after breaking free of that death cycle, the heartless demon spawn still found a way to hurt him! Chara better be ready for a world of hurt when I get my hands on her!'_

The warrior took a few deep breaths as she watched Papyrus trying to get his brother to stop trembling. She had never seen the younger skeleton so shaken up before, then again, he had hidden it pretty well.

"Hey, punk?!" Undyne called, drawing the slipper wearing teens attention, her eyes softening when she saw how wary he looked. "Pap's right, I'm not angry. Heck, I'm proud of ya... in fact we all are! You fought on after loosing everyone... even when ya knew that you'd probably die as well. You still forced yourself to confront that evil brat in the hopes that you could get rid of Chara once and for all... and guess what? Ya did it buddy! You managed to drain enough of her energy to expel her from Frisks body permanently which led to the peaceful timeline we're experiencing now! So ya better not be dwelling on the fact that there were times when ya couldn't save us... or times when ya gave up altogether... cause seriously, I don't know any monster that would have been able to go through everything you have and still be able to function as well as you do."

Sans' eyes were wide, tears falling unhindered as the fish lady sent him a blinding smile and the others nodded in agreement. He had been expecting the others to yell at him, say that he was a disappointment and that he should have been able to break the loop sooner. Even though Pap had told him multiply times that his friends wouldn't be upset... he'd still expected the worst. But to hear that they were proud of him? The small skeleton had never expected that.

"I didn't..." He was cut off as the spear wielder glared at him.

"Don't you dare say that you didn't do anything to deserve our praise!" She declared, irritatedly. "After what you went through it's the least we can offer!"

The pun loving monster ducked his head guiltily. He really didn't feel like he deserved their understanding. It's weird, he had been so worried that they'd be angry with him, but now that he knew that wasn't true... he wished they were.

"Undyne's r...right you know." Alphys spoke up, voice carrying in the silence that had fallen. "Sans... we are all so am...amazed by what you've accomplished, but I can tell that it's still both...bothering you. Know what I think, though?"

"W...what?" He asked sullenly, staring a hole in the floor.

The scientist waited patiently for her friend to meet her eyes before continuing, it took a couple minutes for him to do so. "I th...think that you knew we could never be upset with what you've done for us and ev...everyone else in the underground. Even so, you still fo...focused on the slim possibility that we would be angry in order to keep your m...mind off the actual facts. The truth is, the one who's mo...most disappointed in you... the one who c...can't forgive your failures... is yourself. Every death you co...couldn't prevent, every time you lost to the h...human, every time you gave up... it's all weighing on y...your soul and it will never go away."

A soft cry was heard as the teen covered his mouth with his hands, trying to hold it back. Why did Alphys have to be so smart? She had managed to deduce what he'd been trying to hide without any difficulty, heh... guess she can see right through him. The skeleton jerked as a scaly hand landed on his knee and he glanced up once more into the dinosaurs caring eyes.

"Not until you l...learn to forgive yourself." She finished quietly, hoping she was able to get through to the boy.

It was easy for Alphys to recognize the self hatred held within Sans' soul for it was so similar to how she had once felt. The shy scientist couldn't deny that she despised the human child that had caused the younger monster to feel this way about himself. As she made her way back over to her seat beside her girlfriend, Alphys swore she would do everything she could to help the teen let go of his negative feelings, just as he and the others had once done for her.

Toriel had been silent the whole time, listening to the others while coming to terms with what she'd learned, but now she turned her focus onto the young monster who had recently crawled off his brother... choosing to sit beside him instead. Her eyes grew misty as she took in his defeated countenance... even after Undyne's pep talk and Alphys' reassuring words he still looked ready to shatter. The young skeleton had once been so full of spirit... telling puns, playing jokes on unsuspecting friends... now he had changed. The burden of dealing with the timelines had taken a large toll on the boy... and it was partially her fault. The goat woman got up, quickly crossing over to where her small friend was sitting and took his hands in her larger ones.

"Sans..." She began, a few tears streaming down her furry face. "I cannot apologize enough for what my... original... daughter has put you through."

"Tori, no... you don't have..." Once again the hoodie clad monster found himself being cut off and gave a resigned sigh, his friends were pretty stubborn... he knew that for a fact.

"YES I DO!" The queen exclaimed as she frustratedly wiped the liquid off her cheeks. "I'd had my suspicions about Chara ever since the incident with Asgore's cake... but I wanted to believe that my child would never have done something so awful on purpose. Then, she got sick. I feel like such a terrible mother but... I was slightly relieved when she didn't make it. Though I could never have imagined the evil she'd had hidden within her."

Sans closed his eyes for a few moments. He wished he hadn't had to tell Toriel about all the sins her kid had committed. It wasn't fair for her memories to be tainted like that. But she had known, or had her doubts at least, that something wasn't completely right with the brat. Even so, he still felt horrible about confirming it.

"Chara, no... that child, has caused you so much misery and there is nothing I can do to take back what has happened. Even now she continues to torment you. I care for both you and Papyrus as much as I do my own children. I will not stand by and allow the being I once called daughter to hurt you like this! I promise Sans, we will find a way to stop her. This time... let us be the ones to save you."

He couldn't help but smile at the encouraging looks on the other monsters faces yet he could also spot a firm resolve within their expressions. Maybe it really would be okay, after all, Tori had healed most of his injuries and he wouldn't have to confront Chara unless he accidentally fell asleep... which he wasn't planning on doing any time soon. As long as he stayed awake he was safe, if that meant turning into an insomniac... welp, that's just what he'd have to do. A moment later he noticed a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, the short skeleton could have sworn he'd spotted a hint of green ducking behind a cabinet in the kitchen. He kept watching for a couple more minutes but no other movement occurred.

"SANS? ARE YOU ALRIGHT, BROTHER?" Papyrus demanded, having remained silent for longer than he usually would to allow the others time to speak. "YOU SUDDENLY LOOKED AS IF YOU'D SEEN A GHOST... and I'm not talking about Napstablook."

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine Pappy." The younger reassured, turning his attention to his older bro as his grin returned. "Just got a bit distracted tibia honest."

"SANS NO!" The elder shouted, yet it sounded fond rather than exasperated.

"Sans yes." Came the cheeky reply as the others offered relieved chuckles.

It was normally a good sign when the skelebros began their usual banter and everyone was hopeful that it meant some of the pressure the teen had been feeling had been lifted.

"Well, I think it's time I begin making supper, would you care to help me Toriel?" Pap asked, stretching out his long limbs before standing. "Your cinnamon butterscotch pie would be the perfect desert to have after my spaghetti!"

"I'd be happy to help." The goat mom replied as she stood, softly patting Sans' head before walking into the kitchen.

Papyrus turned to his baby brother, sympathy showing on his face. "In the meantime, I think you should go take a bath. There is still a bit of blood around where your wounds use to be and it would also be an opportunity to unwind."

"Yea, that's probably a good idea." Sans admitted, wearily rubbing the back of his neck. "It's getting kinda itchy anyway. Will you guys be okay down here?"

"Do not worry, THE GREAT PAPYRUS will be an amazing host!" The tall skeleton proclaimed, posing dramatically before adopting a more serious attitude. "Just take care of yourself, okay? By the time you are finished I will have a heaping plate of delicious pasta ready and waiting for your enjoyment."

The younger brother smiled warmly. Paps cooking had improved exponentially and the two now ate together more often. Sans still went to Grillby's... but usually it was on the days where his bro was too busy with his job and didn't have time to sit down and eat with him. Nodding in acceptance, the shorter monster hopped off the sofa, deciding to take a shortcut instead of the stairs as he headed for the second floor bathroom.

As soon as he was out of site the four remaining monsters shared concerned looks. It was clear that it would take quite a while for the teen to recover and that was the least of their worries. First they had to make sure he lived long enough for that to happen and, in order to do so, they had to figure out a way to defeat Chara... but that was easier said than done. How do you fight something that's inside someones head?

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Papyrus filled a pot with water and carefully set it on the stove, turning the heat on high. As the tall monster waited for it to boil he busied himself with preparing the spaghetti sauce. Making sure the ingredients were all adequately blended together and the seasonings were perfectly incorporated. All too soon the pasta was finished and there was nothing left to distract the skeleton from his thoughts. He watched as Toriel began preparing the pie, though truth be told, his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

_'I really hope Sans is able to relax.'_ He contemplated, returning to the living room. _'Maybe I should go check on him? What if he'd fallen asleep and is fighting Chara at this very moment? I never want to see him hurt like that again!'_

He quickly headed for the stairs, deciding he'd just have a quick peek to make sure his brother was fine, but was called back by his mentors voice.

"What's up Papyrus?" Undyne called, having realized his intentions the second he started moving. "Still worried about Sans?"

"HOW COULDN'T I BE?" The excitable monster responded before turning solemn. "I THOUGHT I KNEW MY BROTHER BUT AFTER WHAT I LEARNED LAST NIGHT... IT SEEMS I WAS WRONG. I HAD NOTICED HE WAS DEPRESSED BUT I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS BECAUSE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS! I'VE CALLED SANS A LAZYBONES SO MANY TIMES YET IT WAS HIM WHO ENDLESSLY RISKED HIS LIFE... EVEN WHEN HE KNEW THE CONSEQUENCES HE WOULD FACE."

All three of the female monsters listened as the spaghetti lover ranted. They all felt guilty about Sans having to go through the timelines alone while they were fortunate enough to forget. None of them could imagine the pain of living with all those memories.

"How could I have misjudged him so badly?" Pap finished, voice far quieter than usual as he placed his hands over his skull... if he had hair he'd be pulling it out.

Alphys stood, slowly moving over to her distressed friend.

"I...it's not your fault. Sans has always kept to himself about any negative ex...experiences he has." She spoke shyly, thinking of her occasional lab partner. "You know he ha...hates to worry you, besides what would it have changed? When the ti...timeline reset... you would have just forgotten it all. N...now that the loop is broken he let you in, sure it was because you ca...caught him in a vulnerable moment, but still... it's a start."

Papyrus' face brightened exponentially as he stood, lifting the short dinosaur into his arms as he wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, ALPHYS!" He exclaimed, finally releasing the other monster. "I SHOULD FOCUS ON THE PRESENT! THERE IS NO POINT IN DWELLING ON WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, I CAN'T CHANGE THAT ANYWAY. WHAT I CAN DO IS LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES AND BE THE BEST BIG BROTHER I CAN. I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO PROTECT SANS FROM NOW ON!"

Tori let a gentle smile grace her features as she watched from the kitchen entryway. It was easy to see the love the taller skeleton held for his brother... and vice versa. No one could say that Sans didn't care for Papyrus, especially after seeing the haunted look in his eyes when he'd told them of the times his brother had been killed. Undyne, Alphys, and herself had been shocked upon seeing the state of the teenagers soul but had refrained from mentioning it, realizing it was a result of everything the boy had been through. Now, she truly believed that he would be able to heal. It would take time, but as long as he had his optimistic brother there to look after him... she was sure Sans would make it through.

"Remember Papyrus..." She said calmly, drawing the attention of the other three monsters. "You won't be alone. We're all going to do our best to help."

The older skelebro beamed, eyes shining with untold emotion as he glanced at his friends with thankful eyes.

"THEN WE'D BETTER FIND A WAY TO DEFEAT THE HUMAN!" He exclaimed, fist raised in the air as the others followed suit.

The present monsters cheered in agreement. They would win this battle and save Sans, there was no way the savior of the Underground was falling on their watch!

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Sans turned on the water, making sure it was hot but not scalding. He also decided to add some lavender chamomile bubble bath... Asgore knows he needed the calming effect the aromatherapy would offer. He gave a slight chuckle, remembering the day Mettaton had first introduced him to the practice. It had been shortly after they'd broken free of the loops and he'd been unable to sleep due to the frequent night terrors. This was before any of the crap happened with Chara invading his dreams. The robotic star had noticed how worn out and stressed his skeletal friend appeared and had showed up later that day with a bottle of the bubble bath, promising it would work wonders in soothing his troubled mind. Sure, Sans had been skeptical, but after the first use he was amazed by how calming the scent had proved to be. That was the first night he hadn't woken up from a nightmare in a long time. The mechanical performer had warned him not to use it too often however, or it wouldn't be as effective. Thus the teen only used it on the days it was most needed... like today.

As he relaxed in the tub, letting the warm water wash away his anxiety along with the blood, Sans caught a second flash of movement... this time outside the window. The skeleton quickly passed it off as a bird, after all, he was on the second floor. There was no way the reddish-brown hair he'd seen disappearing below the windowsill was real.

_'Man, I needed this more than I thought.'_ He told himself, a tired yawn escaping as his eye sockets tried to close. _'I can't go to sleep though. I better get out soon or I might not be able to help myself.'_

Ten minutes later, Sans was drying himself off with a fluffy, blue towel. It didn't take long since the water just ran right off him but he lingered in the room after getting redressed in his hoodie and shorts. He wasn't quite ready to return to the group yet... even with the promise of Paps cooking. It had been a long day so far and an even longer night. What with his older brother finding out, his wounds being treated, the others being informed of the situation, and the following discussions... he hadn't had a moment to himself. It felt nice to be alone. No worried glances... no one telling him how proud they were or that the humans misdeeds weren't his fault. Sans knew that Alphys was right... he blamed himself for every time he let his friends die, every time he couldn't push through his own grief to help those that remained. But like the scientist had said, he needed to forgive himself, however... that wouldn't happen overnight.

_'I guess I'll start by focusing on the present. Everyone's alive, that's all that matters, everyone's happy... well mostly.'_ The comedian speculated, gazing into the mirror at his reflection.

He noticed the dark circles that were becoming prominent under his eye sockets and the way his bony hands trembled the slightest bit. Taking a calming breath he began to turn away.

"Chara's locked in my dreams." Sans whispered under his breath, hoping to convince himself. "She's powerless if I'm awake."

"Are you sure about that hero?" A snide voice whispered, the sound originating from somewhere to his right.

He whipped around once again, coming face to face with... himself? Letting out a sigh, he chuckled nervously.

_'Man, I must be loosing it...'_ He froze mid thought as his reflection began to ripple, slowly morphing into the horrific form of Chara.

"Hey, Sansy..." The fallen child giggled mockingly as the skeleton stumbled back, fear instantly making his left eye spark blue. "You're gonna have a bad time."


	7. Tearful Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Wow this chapter is super long and full of action! I really like how this turned out and I hope you do as well. I tried something new with having the two parts run simultaneously. I think it turned out well. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review! Thanks and happy Valentine's Day ;)**
> 
> **Disclaimer: Toby Fox is the awesome person who owns Undertale... not me.**

“No...” Sans whispered, taking another step back away from the mirror. “No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening! You're not real!”

The reflection chuckled darkly as the frightened skeletons foot caught on an upturned corner of the carpet, causing him to fall to the floor. He sat there, a look of pure panic on his face as his eye glowed brilliantly, unconsciously summoning a dozen bones which floated in the air behind him.

“Hmm, that expression... It's one I've been waiting a long time to see.” The fallen child taunted, leaning her head on one hand.

Raising his left arm, the short monster sent a barrage of bones crashing into the mirror, shattering it upon impact. The menacing child instantly vanished and he could see his own scared refection staring up at him from the numerous glass shards littering the floor around him. Letting out a sigh of relief, the teen rose to his feet... taking deep, calming breaths as he tried to suppress his incessant shaking.

_'Like I said, it wasn't real.'_ He told himself, just before the door slammed open... revealing a total of four Chara's crowded around the entrance, each a malformed version of the original.

“Sans?” They spoke as one, sending shivers down the comedians spine.

Their voices sounded distorted, like something demonic... and he immediately manifested more bones, along with a few gaster blasters. This wasn't good... he was backed into a corner! The skeleton watched warily as one of the figures began to approach... it's hands raised in the air as if to say it didn't want to harm him.

_'Yea right...'_ The teen thought skeptically, backing up further as he let a few bones fly toward the taller version of the human in an obvious warning not to get any closer. _'Like I'm gonna fall for that.'_

Thinking fast, Sans used one of the gaster blasters to blast a hole through the bathroom wall. His mind was too panicked to effectively use his shortcuts. If he tried, he would most likely end up stuck midway between here and his final destination. It had happened only once before to the small framed monster. He had tried teleporting after witnessing the brat kill Papyrus for the first time, hoping to escape the pain... and it had nearly cost him his own life. He knew better than to attempt it again when he didn't have his emotions under control. Sans leapt out the broken gap left by the blaster, landing safely on the ground below and raced out of Snowdin, heading toward his guard station.

“Why are you running from me!?” He heard one of the copies call out, already giving chase.

_'Why wouldn't I run?'_ The eighteen year old rationalized, sending a wave of humerus and tibia's at the pursuing group. _'I can't risk fighting them in town, an innocent person could be caught in the middle and get hurt.'_

For being so short and stocky, Sans was surprisingly quick and had soon left the Chara-like creatures behind. It took less than fifteen minutes for him to reach his guard station and he swiftly set about fortifying the area.

“Four on one... heh, looks like the odds aren't in my favor.” He admitted, a nervous sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. “But I'll be darned if I let them take me down without a fight! At least I led them away from Pap and the others.”

He managed to set a few traps and had stationed gaster blasters in the nearby trees before the enemy arrived, looking quite upset. The short skeleton didn't give them a chance to attack before a storm of bones were heading their way. His ever present grin turned strained as they managed to avoid the onslaught. As he summoned another attack the largest Chara stepped forth, almost cautiously.

“Sans, what is wrong?” It asked, making the boys eye glow all the fiercer. As if it didn't know! “Please talk to us.”

“Talk?” He laughed darkly, signaling the blasters to make their move. “After everything you've done... after all the times you killed everyone I cared for... you expect me to talk to you? WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR!?”

The gaster blasters rained down their energy beams at the startled group, yet his enemies once again managed to evade taking any damage. Instead, they fell back, regrouping outside his line of vision. That was just fine with him, however, the teen had no interest in what they were discussing... whatever plan the Chara replicates came up with wouldn't do them any good if he never let them attack. It was in that moment that the jokester realized something was off.

_'That's strange...'_ He mused, vigilantly watching for any sigh of his foes return. _'Why haven't they tried to attack yet? All they've done is dodge. Surely one of them could have launched a counterattack.'_

He took the opportunity to rest while he waited... hoping to conserve his energy.

_'Guess Chara's DETEMINATION isn't as strong in the waking world.'_ He decided, playing it off as the fiends reappeared nearly half an hour later, one coming from each direction. _'Dang! They must have circled around through the woods, they're more cunning than I gave them credit for. Too bad for them it won't do any good.'_

The figures rushed forward, getting within ten feet of Sans before the small framed monster let a smile grace his features and raised both hands, bones emerging from both the ground and sky around him... assembling into a spinning cyclone. This was his top defensive move and nothing had been able to penetrate it as of yet, but it took a lot out of the comedian to maintain this level of shield and he knew it was only a matter of time before he'd have to dismantle it in favor of countering.

“What the heck!” He heard a shout from beyond the barrier. “I've never seen this kind of power before... how could he manage something like this without knowing our plan?”

“He's al...always thinking ahead.” A disrupted reply came from his left causing his skull to twitch in that direction. “After b...being forced to experience so m...many timelines I should have known he wo...wouldn't leave anything to chance.”

“Do not blame yourself.” Another of the Chara's stated as his arms began trembling from the effort of holding the barrier. “We shall just have to be ready for when he breaks his defense.”

The skeleton was sweating heavily by now, breath coming in quick gasps. He only had a few more minutes to form a plan, after that his cover would be broken.

“We need to hurry!” It was the original voice that had called after him when he'd made his getaway back in Snowdin. “Sans won't be able to last much longer... he's expelling too much of his magic!”

He didn't understand... why would these freaky Chara replicas care about him using up his power? It would just make their jobs easier, after all... monsters needed their magic to survive. Didn't they want him dead? Sans' eyes widened, rage clouding his vision as he came to the only possibility for them wanting him alive.

_'That twisted brat is just toying with me!”_ He growled internally, hands clenching so tightly they creaked. _'She's said it before... all she wants is to see me broken. That's why these guys aren't attacking... they're trying to get me to pass out from using too much magic and trap me in the nightmare world! That way, Chara can have her fun finishing me off!”_

Breaking his bone vertex, Sans sent out his most powerful attacks, aiming at the nearest of the copies... this one overly tall and skinny. He grinned in satisfaction when it cried out in pain as several of the bones connected, knocking the creature to the ground where it lay, nearly motionless. As the others rushed over to help their wounded comrade, the skeleton used his gravity magic to fling them into the air... creating cages of bone around them, effectively trapping his enemies while he slowly advanced. Soon he was standing over his downed foe, a look of hatred on his face as he mustered enough magic to call forth a large femur. Just as he was about to land the finishing blow, the being reached out to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him down into a gentle embrace. Sans struggled, trying in vain to push away from the misshapen human, only to freeze the moment it began to speak.

“Please brother... come back to me.” It said weakly, the younger monsters eyes widening in shock as the creatures form wavered and he was suddenly face to face with Papyrus. “You are safe. I won't let that human hurt you.”

“P...Pap?” Sans choked out, staring at the bloodied form of his older brother... his left eye immediately returning to normal.

Bones where sticking through him, pining him to the ground so that he was only able to move the slightest bit. Gashes littered both his arms and legs from the multitude of attacks that had been landed on him in the last assault as well as what appeared to be a couple broken ribs. Yet even in his condition he managed a large smile as the younger let his power dissipate. Once free, the taller skeleton yanked the jokester closer, as the smaller monsters breath hitched.

“Yes Sans... it's me. You're going to be okay.” The elder comforted as tears began rolling down his baby bros face.

“Oh god...” Sans muttered, eyes blown wide in panic. “What have I done?”

He immediately propped his brother up as Papyrus coughed, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth as Toriel, Undyne, and Alphys rushed over. The teen swiftly came to the realization that they had been the other three beings. Had it all been an illusion? That would explain why he'd never been attacked. They never meant to hurt him in the first place... they had just been trying to get him to come back to reality.

“I... I'm...” What was he supposed to say? I'm sorry for nearly killing you Papyrus but apparently I've been hallucinating and thought you were a manifestation of the evil human that's been trying to destroy me!?

“Sans... I need you to give me some room so I can heal your brother.” Tori spoke kindly, no hint of anger in her voice. “Please, can you do that for me?”

He took a lingering look at the older skeleton before gently pulling out of his grip and stepping back toward the tree line... several yards away from the others. He could feel Paps eyes following him the whole way... but kept his back turned.

“Sans?” He heard his bro question worriedly, and the teen could hear the tremor of pain in his voice.

“I'm sorry, Pappy.” He replied, voice barely louder than a whisper as he glanced back, eye glowing once more.

He summoned a wall of giant bones around his friends, encircling them completely as guilt burrowed into his soul and tears began to fall freely. The younger monster then raced off into the forest, his brothers frantic calls chasing after him. Sans heard the sound of a distant scream as he felt his sins crawling on his back.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

“Thank you my friends.” Papyrus replied, choked up by the amount of affection he felt for each of the present monsters. “OH, I ALMOST FORGOT... I MUST GO AND CHECK ON SANS! HE SHOULD BE DONE WITH HIS BATH BY NOW!”

Just then, a loud crash could be heard coming from the second floor, followed by the sound of breaking glass. The tall skeletons eyes widened in trepidation as he raced up the stairs, the others right on his heels. It took less than a minute to reach the bathroom door and throw it open, revealing the smaller monster... face panicked and breaths heavy.

“Sans?” They called as one, worry engraved on their faces as they watched a shiver rack the teens body.

Each of them let out a shocked gasp as bones and a few gaster blasters materialized in the air behind the comedian. The boys eyes darted back and forth, searching anxiously for any plausible escape route. Pap didn't understand what had frightened his baby bro so badly but he could tell that something was terribly wrong. The spaghetti lover held up both gloved hands in a placating manner as he slowly began to advance, his brother watching him warily. Without warning a few of the bones flew straight towards his head... the silent message clear as day. _'Get any closer and I won't hesitate to dunk you.'_

_'Brother? What has happened to you?'_ He sighed sadly, watching the younger press his back defensively against the far wall.

Papyrus was blown back slightly from the shock wave caused by one of the shorter monsters gaster blasters shooting an energy beam through their wall. He crouched there, mouth gaped open as his little brother jumped down to the ground and began to run full speed in the direction of the ruins.

“Why are you running from me!” He shouted desperately, already on his feet and propelling himself out of the hole after Sans.

The only answer he received was another wave of bones being flung at him. He twisted out of the way easily enough, pausing for a few moments to glance behind him and check on the others. None of the girls had been hit in the attack and he turned back to face the retreating teen, only to be met with an empty pathway. The enthusiastic skeleton knew that his brother could be quick when he wanted to be, how else could he dodge the way he did, but this was ridiculous. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if the younger had disappeared with the help of one of his shortcuts before remembering what he'd been told the previous night.

_'Sans can't teleport if his emotions are unstable.'_ He recalled, racing across the snowy ground. _'He told me that the one time he did it felt like he'd been trapped in a landslide and it was crushing him to death, he barely made it through. Judging by what I witnessed back at the house, there's no way he could do it safely.'_

As Pap neared the frozen pond, he felt his feet slide out from under him and he landed face first in a snowbank. Sputtering, the normally exuberant monster sat up, wiping the cold substance from is face as Undyne caught up to him... Toriel and Alphys not far behind.

“Hey Papyrus, you okay?” The fish lady asked, hand extended to help him up.

“I'll be fine once I find my brother.” He replied as the four began searching for their younger companion once again.

The group found themselves catching up with Sans at his guard post. He was standing there, staring at them as if they were the demons from his nightmares and it made each of them cringe to see the hatred reflected in his glowing eye. Before anyone could make a move, the shorter skeleton had called forth a massive tempest of bones... sending them hurtling through the air straight towards his gathered friends. Somehow, whether by luck or skill, they had all managed to evade taking any damage and they watched sadly as Sans tried in vain to maintain his signature grin. As he summoned another attack Toriel cautiously stepped forth, eyes gentle and calm yet the distressed teen didn't seem to notice her expression.

“Sans, what is wrong?” She questioned quietly, not wanting to startle the boy she cared so deeply for, yet it seemed to have the opposite effect as anger made his eye light up even brighter... making him look slightly demented. “Please talk to us.”

“Talk?” He finally responded, a dark laugh that turned their blood to ice ripping itself from his throat as he commanded his blasters to attack. “After everything you've done... after all the times you killed everyone I cared for... you expect me to talk to you? WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR!?”

And just like that, understanding dawned on the faces of the four friends as they managed to once more skirt the magical bombardment. As one, the group made a tactical retreat. Stopping when they noticed the other monster hadn't made to follow them.

“S...so that's it.” Alphys spoke, voice trembling as she fought back tears. “Sans has been hallucinating this whole time. He can't see us... all he sees is Chara.”

“But why?” Tori demanded, concern heavy on her furry face. “What could have caused this?”

It was silent for a few seconds as everyone thought back. Suddenly an angry growl tore through the air and a magical spear hurled past them... imbedding deeply into the trunk of a nearby tree.

“Gah! I have no idea how it happened but I can tell ya one thing.” The warrior snarled, fists clenched so tight that her nails were digging into her skin. “That brats gotta be behind it somehow! He wasn't fine, far from it, but he was doing a hell of a lot better than this when he went upstairs earlier.”

A few more moments passed before the tall skeletons eyes narrowed and he glanced around at his gathered friends.

“The mirror...” Pap stated, nearly inaudibly as he thought back to the scene he had burst in upon. “It was shattered and Sans was just standing there... staring at the pieces as if they were something horrific.”

“How can we help the poor dear?” The queen asked, her voice steadier than she actually felt. “There must be something we can do?”

“I th...think that if we manage to g...get him to listen to us he might snap o...out of it.” Alphys announced, nervously wringing her scaly hands. “We m...might need to restrain him for a...awhile however. It may b...be the only way he'll li...listen to us.”

The goat moms eyes widened in disbelief at what she'd just heard and she shook slightly as she began to speak... concealed anger masked by an overly calm tone.

“But there must be a better way.” She replied, arms folded across her chest. “Surely we could help him without needing to...”

“No.” Pap interrupted, voice barely more than a whisper. “If that's what it's going to take to get Sans back... that's what we'll do. I don't like it any better than you do Toriel, believe me, but I refuse to allow my brother to descend into madness because of that evil humans twisted game.”

The larger monster was unable to argue as she saw the resolve in the skeletons orange tinted eyes. Nodding in agreement, she and the others began forming their plan. It took about twenty minutes before they were finished, each heading in their own direction save for Papyrus. He merely stood there, giving the others ample time to get into position before making his move. He headed in the direction the teen was located, staying concealed within the confines of the forest before rushing forward at the exact same moment as the others made their own moves. They had timed it perfectly and were less than ten feet away from the smaller monster before he smiled wickedly, raising both arms as a cyclone of bones formed around him... completely cutting them off from their target.

_'When did Sans learn such a move?'_ Pap thought, one hand held up to shield his face as the wind forced him back. _'Doesn't he know how dangerous it is for him to use something like this? What am I thinking... of course he does! My brother is too smart not to realize what this could do to him... he's just too desperate to care.”_

“What the heck!” Undyne shouted from directly across from him, though he couldn't see his mentor due to the swirling vortex. “I've never seen this kind of power before... how could he manage something like this without knowing our plan?”

“He's al...always thinking ahead.” The royal scientist revealed, sounding upset for overlooking such an important detail. “After b...being forced to experience so m...many timelines I should have known he wo...wouldn't leave anything to chance.”

“Do not blame yourself.” Toriel comforted as Papyrus glanced over at where she was stationed on his right. “We shall just have to be ready for when he breaks his defense.”

The taller skeleton could feel the wind beginning to diminish, signaling that his bro was already pushing him limits. It would only be a matter of time before he either exerted all of his power and collapsed or let the bone twister dissipate.

“We need to hurry!” He cried, fear for the younger skeleton thick in his voice as he looked around at the others. “Sans won't be able to last much longer... he's expelling too much of his magic!”

Less than a minute later the vortex was broken. Pap barely had time to observe how exhausted his little brother looked before bones were speeding toward him... far too many to avoid. The spaghetti loving monster cried out as several of the attacks pierced his body, others merely slicing his arms and legs. A few of his ribs cracked audibly as he swallowed back a scream. He couldn't move, having been pinned to the ground by the attack, and could feel blood starting to leak from the multitude of wounds littering his body. His head turned, watching as his little brother made his way over to him, trapping the others in gravity defying cages as he went. The taller skeleton stiffened at the look of pure hatred being sent his way as a large bone manifested in the others hand. Papyrus did the only thing he could in that moment... he reached out, taking hold of Sans' hand, and pulled him down into the tightest embrace he could manage.

“Please brother... come back to me.” He said weakly, noticing the younger monsters eyes widening in shocked recognition as he let a warm smile appear on his face. “You are safe. I won't let that human hurt you.”

“P...Pap?” He let out a relieved sigh as the younger monsters left eye returned to normal and the bones holding him in place vanished.

The taller monster was so glad to have finally broken through to the eighteen year old... hugging him all the tighter as he tried to ignore the stabbing pain radiating throughout him.

“Yes Sans... it's me. You're going to be okay.” Pap comforted, wishing he had the strength to wipe the tears from his baby bros face.

“Oh god...” He heard Sans mutter, guilt shining from his wet eye sockets. “What have I done?”

A strangled coughed escaped from Papyrus' throat as the taste of iron filled his mouth, but he didn't care. In that moment he had seen the devastated expression on his brothers face as the boys hand tightened fearfully around his own before raising him up so he was able to breath easier. He wasn't able to comfort him however, for at the moment Toriel, Undyne, and Alphys arrived at their side... having been freed when Sans' magic dispersed.

“I... I'm...” He knew instinctively what the comedian was trying to say and watched as Sans' face filled with remorse when he was unable to get the words out.

The normally energetic monster smiled reassuringly, hoping to let his baby bro know that he'd been forgiven as he gently squeezed the hand that still held his own.

“Sans... I need you to give me some room so I can heal your brother.” Pap heard the queen say, glad that there was no trace of anger in her kind voice. “Please, can you do that for me?”

Papyrus wanted to argue that there was no need for Sans to leave his side but the jokester had already extracted himself from his arms as carefully as possible and staggered over to lean against a tree. The excitable skeleton kept his eyes on the teen the whole while but the shorter monster stayed facing away from them. Fear immediately settled in his soul like a dark cloud. Pap knows his brother... he knows how much guilt the boy carried because of the failed timelines... he knows that he hated himself even more for what he'd just done.

“Sans?” The older skeleton called, a tremor of pain in his voice from not being able to comfort his baby bro.

He knows what the teen is thinking at that very moment... and it scared him to no end.

“I'm sorry, Pappy.” His brother replied, so quietly that he could barely hear the words, as the smaller monster glanced over his shoulder.

Noticing the younger skeletons eye beginning to glow once more, he reached out a shaking hand toward the other... just as a huge wall of bones completely cut them off. Between the gaps he could just make out the comedian fleeing into the forest as tears filled his eye sockets.

“SANS, DON'T RUN! PLEASE!” Pap called brokenly, wanting nothing more than to be able to follow... but that was impossible at the moment.

He had failed. That thought caused a scream of agony to rip free of his lungs... filling the air as the world slowly darkened around him. His only hope was that by the time he regained consciousness it wouldn't be too late to save Sans. Papyrus had managed to catch a glimpse of his brothers soul as he fled... and it was beginning to crumble.

 


	8. Memories Brought To Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Sorry this is so late but my laptops keyboard broke right after posting the last chapter. As an apology this chapter is extra long ;) we even get a glimpse into the skelebros past! I really hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to everyone who's left a review, favorited, or followed this story! Please let me know what you think, thanks :)**
> 
> **Disclaimer: No I do not own Undertale... even if I wish I did. That honor belongs to Toby Fox.**

He ran, not daring to look back. As the reality of the situation finally sank in, Sans slowed and fell to his knees, uncaring of the thorns that scraped against his arms and legs. He hung his head, angrily pounding a fist into the ground as more tears trailed down his face. After everything that's happened... all the times he failed to save his friends, all the fights with Chara, all the resets... he'd never expected this!

"I...I hurt him! I hurt Pap!"Sans cried, shaking uncontrollably as his falling tears soaked into the dirt below him. "What the hell... why didn't I notice that it was a hallucination? I could have killed him!"

That thought made him pause momentarily... various scenarios flashing through his head with what might have been. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if his big brother had died because of him.

_'How will Pappy ever forgive me?'_ He asked himself, eyes growing fond as the answer pushed it's way to the forefront of his mind. _'Heh, that's easy, knowing him... he already has. My older bro could never hold a grudge, he's too purehearted... all the more reason for me to stay away from him. It's best if I'm on my own, that way I won't be a danger to those around me. I know Papyrus will be upset but, I need to protect him... even if it's from myself.'_

The small skeleton slowly got to his feet and glanced around, it had gotten pretty gusty out and the swirling snow was making it difficult to see. Upon noticing where he was, he let a melancholy smile grace his features as he trudged the rest of the way to his secret lake. It's were he always comes when he's upset so the comedian figured he must have instinctively headed this way, even though he hadn't been paying attention to where he was running. The comfort he felt when he made it to the frozen banks was small in the face of all that's happened but welcome none the less. Sans stood there, just taking it all in for an indefinite amount of time before coming to a decision.

"I can't go back." The teen declared, eye sockets now turned skyward to gaze toward the undergrounds equivalent of stars. "At least not until I face Chara once and for all. It's the only way to get rid of these darn nightmares and any other traces of that brats influence!"

Sans knew that if he wanted to confront the fallen child he'd need to regain the magic he had expelled fighting his friends. In order to do that he would need to eat and rest. Sure, he wouldn't be able to sleep yet but he could relax and do his best to focus on the upcoming battle. Having calmed down enough to use his shortcuts, the jokester hurriedly made his way back home, checking to make sure no one was there before entering the house. Once inside, the short monster immediately grabbed a container of his brothers spaghetti from the fridge... along with half a dozen ketchup cookies. If he was going to die in the approaching fight he wanted his older bros cooking to be the last thing he tasted. That way, even though they hadn't parted on the best of terms, at least he'd have a piece of Pap with him when the time came. At the last minute before teleporting back to the lake, Sans noticed his notebook sitting on the table. He must have forgotten it there with everything that's occurred in the past few days. Opening it up he ripped out several pages, knowing they may come in handy later, and shoved them into his pocket before finding a pen and beginning to write... the paper quickly becoming stained with his tears.

_'Papyrus... I never meant to hurt you.'_ He expressed, pen wavering slightly with all the emotions coursing through him. _'I'm so sorry. If I could take it all back I would... I'd do a better job protecting you... I'd be there whenever ya needed someone to talk to... I'd tell ya what an awesome brother you are every single day. But I can't... what's done is done. The only way it will be safe enough for you, or anyone, to be around me is if I manage to defeat Chara. In order to do that... I'll need to face her, I can't keep running. I have a plan, it's not the most well thought out but... it's all I've got. I'll do my best to get back to ya, but if I don't make it, just know that I wish I could be there for you. But, heh, you'll be fine. You've got so many people behind you now, so many friends who will keep you safe better than I ever could... you don't need a troublesome little brother like me weighing ya down anymore. No matter what happens, I want you to promise me that you will never think any of this is your fault... it isn't. I love you so much Pappy and I hope, even after what I did, that you never forget the memories we've made together. Throughout the timelines you were the reason I stayed sane, you were the reason I kept trying, and you are the reason I will defeat the human once and for all... even at the cost of my own life. I want to make the underground a safe place for you and everyone else... and that can't happen as long as she's still around. Welp, I've probably taken too long writing this... better get going before ya decide to come home and catch me. Tibia honest... If I saw your face I don't think I'd be able to leave. I love ya Pap._

_PS... Tell the others I'm sorry.'_

Sans smiled sadly as he headed through a shortcut, never noticing the door opening behind him. As he arrived back at the lake the small monster made his way over to his rock, collapsing with a mournful sigh. He hoped Papyrus wouldn't be too heartbroken when he discovered the note. He wanted to at least let the other skeleton know what was occurring. That way, if he didn't come back, his bro could move on with his life instead of waiting and wondering what had happened. Maybe, if Sans was lucky, he'd be around to comfort his big brother when this was all done and over with... but he wasn't counting on it. His shoulders slumped slightly as opened the container and began to eat, smiling as the taste hit him... bringing with it memories of happier times. The scene was nearly identical to a few days ago, sitting here eating with the lake stretched out before him, but now... he wasn't alone. The others knew about the loops and they weren't angry with him, heck, they didn't even blame him... and that knowledge only served to steel his resolve. He would protect them all... no matter what it takes.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Papyrus' eye sockets widened in despair as he was forced to wait for Toriel to finish healing his wounds before he could follow his brother. It took nearly twenty minutes for the goat mom to declare him fit enough to move. In the meantime, Undyne had managed to make a large enough hole in the surrounding bones for them all to fit through, though by then a strong wind had blown the snow around... completely erasing the smaller monsters tracks. As Pap shakily got to his feet, he realized that all they could do was search around and hope one of them came across his wayward brother.

_'Sans why?'_ He thought to himself, lamentably gazing in the direction he knew his baby bro had been heading. _'Why must you always face everything alone?I can tell that you feel immensely guilty over attacking me but it wasn't you're fault... it was that blasted humans! I swear... I'll make her suffer for all the pain she's put you through.'_

"Papyrus?" Toriel spoke gently, placing a warm paw on the tall skeletons shoulder, effectively snapping him out of his thoughts. "I think it would be best for you to return home... you need to rest in order to regain your strength. I promise, we will find Sans."

"NO!" He refused, hoping that the others would leave it at that. "I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR HIM!"

"B...but he might be waiting at yo...your house." Alphys tried to persuade, but it was in vain.

"EVEN IF SANS DID GO HOME HE WOULD HAVE LEFT BY NOW! DIDN'T YOU GUYS SEE HIS FACE? HE THINKS HE'S A DANGER TO US!" Pap cried, eyes glowing orange in the dim light. "MY BROTHER NEEDS ME... NOW MORE THAN EVER! DO YOU REALLY EXPECT ME TO SIT AROUND WHILE HE'S IN DANGER!?"

"That's exactly what we expect you to do!" Undyne chided, somewhat harshly. "I swear, you can be as much of a numbskull as Sans sometimes. Go home Papyrus... rest... we'll call you if we find anything."

"BUT UNDYNE..." The spaghetti lover whined, only to be cut off.

"I said go home... and that's an order." The warrior replied commandingly. "If you want to keep training with me then I suggest you do as I say!"

The skeleton started, surprised that his mentor would go so far. She had never threatened him like this before. He watched warily, noticing the way she averted her gaze. In that moment he caught a glimpse behind her tough exterior and what he saw was someone who was just as concerned for his little brother as he was. His eyes returned to normal as his posture slumped, he knew that he would only slow down their search... he was still too unsteady to really do any good. The best thing he could so at this point was return to their home and hope Sans would be there, if not, he'd have to trust that his friends would find him... at least until he was steady enough to search himself.

"FINE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL WAIT AT HOME!" He declared, trying to act like it didn't bother him.

Without another word, the enthusiastic monster turned away from his friends and marched back to Snowdin... ignoring the worried glances sent his way. It took nearly half an hour to get back to his house. Dragging his feet up the front steps, Pap opened the door just as a flash of blue magic dissipated from the room.

"SANS!" He called desperately, but it was too late... the younger monster had already disappeared.

Rushing forward, the elder brother noticed the note sitting on the table. The younger skelebros handwriting, hastily scrawled yet still legible, covered the page. Papyrus gasped as he read what his baby brother had written, countless tears streaming down his face by the time he finished... adding to the stains already on the page. As he let himself sink onto the couch, a sob tore from his throat as his hands tightened around the paper, crumpling it slightly. These words may be the last his bro would ever say to him... and that thought sent pain radiating throughout his entire being.

"Brother... how could you ever think you were a bother?" The tall skeleton whispered brokenly, eye sockets closed in sorrow. "You were never any trouble to me."

Using his scarf to wipe the tears from his eyes, Pap grabbed his phone and immediately dialed Undyne's number. If what Sans had written was true, then he was about to do something that was extremely dangerous and foolhardy.

"You'd better be resting Papyrus." He heard the warrior growl as she picked up on the third ring. "If you're not, so help me I'll..."

"SANS WAS HERE!" The normally high-spirited monster interrupted hastily. "HE LEFT A NOTE SAYING THAT HE WAS GOING TO FACE CHARA! WE NEED FIND HIM! UNDYNE... HE'S WILLING TO DIE FOR THIS!"

"What!" He heard Toriel, Alphys, and Undyne all shout before the queens voice rose above the others.

"Papyrus, do you have any idea were your brother could have gone?" She asked imploringly.

"No... but I'm going to check around town and the surrounding area." He declared resolutely, refusing to take no for an answer.

"Right, we'll split up to cover more ground." His mentor responded, voice strained as she tried to keep calm. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find him in time."

"I sure hope so." The skeleton replied sullenly, as he hung up.

Tucking the note into his battle body for safe keeping, Papyrus rushed out the door and made his way in the direction of Grillby's, hoping against all odds that his sibling would be there. He was sorely disappointed however, when the bartender revealed that he hadn't seen the teen all day. Thanking the fiery monster for the information Pap headed back out into the cold, his soul filled with worry for what he'd find when they eventually locate his brother.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

Sans stared out at the frigid expanse of water... it was nearly time. His magic was sufficiently restored and he knew that the longer he put it off, the more tempted he would be to find his friends. Focusing his powers, Sans summoned a special attack that he had only attempted once before... at a time when he hadn't known how to teleport. It was supposed to put his enemy to sleep without causing any damage. He had initially developed it so that he could escape a fight without the need for an actual battle, but... things didn't turn out well. The one time he'd used it... the monsters he'd been fighting fell asleep just as planned, the thing is... they never woke up. They stayed trapped in their own minds, unable to awaken, until... they finally fell down. Sans had been around eight at the time and hadn't realized how strong his magic was compared to others. No one even believed it had been him who had caused the incident, choosing instead to believe it was just an isolated incident of some kind. As he grew, the young skeleton had vowed never to use that specific attack again unless he knew for certain that the targeted monster would wake up. He couldn't even bring himself to use it against Chara, acting as if he had been bluffing about having a special attack rather than break his promise to himself. He did study it however, hoping to develop a way of rousing anyone affected by it so that, if the time ever came... there wouldn't be another catastrophe like the one from his childhood. Yet, even after all these years, all he had was a theory that had never been tested. Looking back now, he wondered if he would share the same fate as those other monsters... it would only serve him right for what he'd done.

_It was starting to get dark as the eight year old ran through the snowy landscape towards his house. He had been out at his hideout, not wanting to deal with the bullies he knew would be waiting for him. Now, though, it was getting late. He had promised Pappy that he'd be home by supper but that had been almost an hour ago._

_'Oh no,' He thought, racing through the trees at full speed. 'My big bros gonna be really upset! He'll probably start crying again!'_

_Rounding the final bend before entering Snowdin, Sans collided face first with an older monster. It was one of the teens who had been tormenting him for the past month and, as he picked himself off the ground, he watched warily as two other boys stepped out of the shadows. It has started shortly after he and his brother had first moved to the snow covered town. Most of the monsters had been accepting and helpful and the orphan skelebros truly appreciated the kind gestures of the townspeople. But there had been a few who had spoken up against them, wanting to chase them from the village all because they were different from everyone else. Over time, things died down, that is... until the day Sans had become the target of the neighborhood bullies. He had never told Pap what was happening, not wanting to worry his older brother, but he knew the the eleven year old had figured it out on his own. The youngster had come home on many occasions with tears in his eye sockets, having narrowly avoided the attacks that could have so easily killed him, and Papyrus was always there... waiting with open arms and a warm hug. Now, Sans was surrounded once again._

" _Stay back!" He cried, subconsciously beginning to tremble. "If you don't I'll... I'll..."_

" _You'll what?" The leader sneered, sending a incredulous look at his lackeys._

" _I'll use my special attack!" The kid yelled, puffing up his chest in the hopes of looking threatening._

_The teens burst out laughing, nearly falling over at how comical the kid looked. It only lasted a few moments, however, before the speaker stepped forward menacingly._

" _Come on then..." The older monster taunted, summoning his own attack. "Show us what you've got, ya puny bag of bones."_

_The teen raced forward but Sans didn't give him any time to strike, instead, he summoned his new attack and sent it hurtling at each of the bullies. His aim was true and the move struck each of them right through their souls, sending them crashing to the ground unconscious. The short skeleton cautiously grabbed a stick and crept forward, pausing a few seconds before poking one of his antagonists. When the older kid showed no signs of moving, the child let out a sigh of relief._

" _It worked!" He exclaimed, excitedly. "It really worked... I won't have to fight anymore!"_

_With a large smile on his face, Sans headed home. He made sure to leave notes on the doors of the fallen boys so that their parents knew where to find them. By his reckoning... the effects of his magic would last for nearly three hours before they awoke. As he reached his house, Papyrus threw the door open and dragged him inside, checking him over before pulling him into a tight embrace._

" _WHERE WERE YOU!?" His brother demanded, worriedly. "YOU'RE NEARLY TWO HOURS LATE! WHAT HAPPENED? DID THOSE BULLIES ATTACK YOU AGAIN?"_

_Sans pulled himself out of the taller monsters arms, gasping for air as he was finally able to breathe._

" _Yea, they did." He said, continuing upon seeing the frown overtaking Paps expression. "But don't worry bro, I took care of them... I'm fine, see?"_

_The elder examined him once more before nodding, smile returning full force as he took the youngsters bony hand in his and lead him inside out of the cold._

"Man, I never thought I'd use this again." Sans admitted, emotion thick in his voice.

Glancing down at the attack held in his hands, he allowed himself to let out a soft sob... but only one. He didn't have time to break down. Not right now. Not when so much depended on him. He refused to allow himself to give up again! Making sure his notes where still in his hoodie pocket, the younger skeleton took a deep breath.

_'Welp, no time like the present.'_ He thought hoping that, if he lived through the final showdown with Chara, his friends would be able to figure out how to awaken him. _'Here goes nothing.'_

Leaving no time for hesitation, Sans thrust the bone shaped attack through his fragile soul... eyes closing instantly as sleep overcame him.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

It had been over an hour since he'd started his search and Pap had nothing to show for it other than an ever increasing sense of dread. He found himself back at the guard post, his eyes searching for any sign that his brother may have circled back. The only thing that remained were some packets of ketchup, mustard, and relish. The tall skeleton sank into the chair, letting his skull fall roughly onto the wooden counter as he closed his eye sockets.

_'Where did you go Sans?'_ He pleaded in his mind, hoping the answer would magically come to him. _'My brother has run off like this many times... how could he just disappear into thin air?"_

Papyrus chuckled as he realized that the teen does exactly that each time he uses his shortcuts. In that moment his eyes snapped open... blazing orange as a long forgotten memory resurfaced.

" _Pappy, I want you to stay here." An eight year old Sans commanded, voice shaking but he tried to keep it steady. "I need to go do something."_

_The slightly taller skeleton looked down on his younger, yet more responsible, brother with tears showing._

" _But why?" He whined, tugging on his bros shirt. "I want to come too! I don't want to be left alone!"_

" _I said stay here, Pap!" The smaller monster yelled, roughly wrenching away from the other._

_Papyrus' eyes widened in fear and he noticed Sans flinch before his baby brother raced out the door._

_'Why did he yell at me?' He asked himself, watching the normally fun loving kid turn into the woods and disappear. "He's never done that before, something must really be bothering him.'_

_With no second thoughts, the eleven year old raced out the door, barely pausing to grab the scarf his brother had made for him. By the time he reached the trees, Sans was already out of sight. Looking around, Papyrus managed to find footprints heading deeper into the forest. He quietly followed the trail, not wanting to alert his little bro to his presence. After walking for nearly an hour and a half, the taller skeleton came upon a large clearing with a frozen lake glittering in the afternoon light. On a smooth boulder situated beside the water sat Sans, knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them... face buried in his bony limbs. As he crept closer, Pap noticed tears glimmering on his baby brothers pale face._

_'Why is he crying?' The elder monster thought, concern washing over him as he noticed the boy mumbling something under his breath. 'I need to get closer so I can hear what he's saying.'_

_Somehow, Papyrus managed to sneak forward without the other spotting him... it only proved to the taller skelebro that something was definitely wrong. His brother was usually more cautious than this, especially since some mean monsters had started picking on him. Every time his bro left the house, Pap would worry constantly, wondering if the younger monster would return home safely. Since the accident that had occurred when Sans was a baby, the boys Hp had remained at one... never growing no matter what they tried. He was constantly afraid that his younger sibling would be taken away from him. Sans began to speak once more, snapping the older skeleton out of his troubled thoughts._

" _What am I supposed to do? It's all my fault!" His little brother cried despairingly. "I can never use it again! I can't... I WON'T!"_

_'What is Sans talking about?' Pap wondered, anxiously watching his frantic brother. 'What's his fault?'_

_The eleven year old sucked in a breath as the younger finally looked up, startled to see his left eye glowing blue._

" _They fell down because of me!" Sans wailed, shaking violently. "I only wanted them to leave me alone but they didn't wake up... now they're dead and it's my fault."_

_He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His baby brother had killed someone?_

_'NO... THIS CAN'T BE TRUE!' Papyrus exclaimed, never turning away as the eight year old screamed brokenly, before sobs once more wracked his small frame. 'I'D BE ABLE TO SEE IF HE GAINED ANY LV AND HE HASN'T! But a few of the bullies who have been picking on him did fall down this morning. Come to think of it, they've been comatose for the last week... ever since the day Sans came home looking so happy.'_

_The elders eyes widened as he came to an understanding of what had happened. Sans didn't gain any LV because he didn't officially kill them... but he had been the cause. He remembered how his brother had described the new attack he'd been working on. The boy had been so excited about being able to go out on his own safely since he could just put anyone who attacked him to sleep with it. Tears rose in the taller monsters eyes, he now knew what the youngsters words had meant. The attack had worked fine but the bullies never woke up, and because they never woke up... he blamed himself._

" _Oh Sans..." Pap whispered, not loud enough to alert the smaller skeleton. "This isn't your fault... you didn't know. I promise... you'll never have to use that attack again. I'll protect you!"_

_Silently, Papyrus left his little brother alone and headed home... knowing it would only make things worse if Sans knew he'd overheard._

The excitable monster blinked, orange vanishing from his eyes as shock filled his face. He had forgotten all about the lake hidden in the woods and about that encounter and it filled him with regret. He had unknowingly broken the promise he had made that day. The tall skeleton knew that the lake was the most likely place for his bro to run to, after all, he had seemed pretty family with that area back then. So, not allowing his grief to get to him Pap grabbed his cell phone and swiftly typed in the number of his mentor, hoping she would pick up.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did you find him?" She asked, having answered immediately.

"No, but I know where he went!" He replied, speaking so quickly that his words nearly blurred together. "Where are you?"

"I met up with the others, we're near the entrance to the ruins." The fish lady announced, a tinge of worry in her voice.

"STAY THERE, I'M ON MY WAY!" The skeleton expressed loudly as he took off in that direction. "I'll explain when I arrive."

In less than ten minutes he had reached the ruins. Noticing his friends standing nearby, the noisy monster rushed up to them.

"So where did that bonehead go?" Undyne demanded before Papyrus had even reached them.

"There's a secret lake deep in the woods that Sans used to visit when we were younger." He exclaimed, taking a moment to catch his breath. "I had forgotten about it until a little while ago. I'm sure that's were he is."

"Papyrus dear?" Tori asked, gaining the younger monsters attention. "How do we get there? Time is of the utmost importance."

Pap turned and ran towards the treeline, pausing only long enough to yell over his shoulder for the others to follow him.

_'Just hang on a little longer Sans!'_ He thought resolutely as he raced through the forest, the girls close behind. _'I'm coming.'_


	9. Fall Of A Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Oh my gosh! This chapter is so sad. I'm not the best at fight scenes but I think I did pretty good on these. I love how this chapter turned out and I can't wait to write the next. I have some majorly awesome skelebros moments planned ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think by leaving a review. As always, thanks to everyone who have shown support for this story... you're all awesome :)**   
>  **Disclaimer: If I owned Undertale, Sans would have been the main character. Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.**

_A golden light surrounded Sans as the darkness faded and the judgment hall came into view. His smile was resigned as he turned tired eyes toward the end of the corridor, waiting for the human child to appear once more. This is it... the final time he'd be forced to stand in this hallway waiting for the brat to show themselves. No matter what happens next... this is where it ends._

“ _Welcome back Sansy... did ya miss me?” The sinister voice mocked from the shadows moments later, but he refused to let his anxiety show. “How is Papyrus by the way? He looked pretty beat up after you tried to MURDER HIM!”_

“ _There's no way in hell I'd miss a kid like you.” He replied, refusing to let his anger show, instead choosing to grin widely... knowing it would anger his opponent to no end. “And Pap will be just fine... he's far stronger than you give him credit for. So, that raises the question... why should I let you rattle my bones when I can just finish this here and now?”_

_As he finished speaking his magic burst forth, summoning bones and gaster blasters in an all out barrage. The child's face turned confused as she barely managed to avoid his attacks._

“ _You've gotten faster since the last time we've fought.” She stated, gritting her teeth as a medium sized bone grazed her side. “How is that even possible?”_

_Several oversized femurs grew from the ground as the skeleton raised his arm, hoping to knock the brat off balance._

“ _I'm actually going all out.” The teen responded, focus never wavering as he dodged a slice from the humans knife. “Believe it or not, I've got something worth living for this time.”_

_Chara glared as she raced forward, feigning to the left before moving in on the monsters right, succeeding in landing a small nick on his cheek bone... just below the eye socket._

“ _What could be worth putting up with all this pain?” The kid hissed, leaping out of the way as a blaster shot at her. “That ridiculous brother of yours? Those friends you claim to have? Where are they while you're fighting for your life?”_

_The comedian took a deep breath, pausing a moment to wipe the blood from his face before moving out of the way as the girls attacks intensified._

“ _They're home, exactly where they should be...” He trailed off as the knife sailed toward his legs, managing to avoid it at the last second. “And far away from you!”_

“ _If I wanted to kill them I would... and there'd be nothing a numbskull like you could do to stop me!” Chara yelled, hatred clear in her tone._

“ _You should know by now that I'd never let that happen!” The skeleton exclaimed, eyes narrowed dangerously as he sent a bone flying through her red soul, shattering it._

_The child fell to the floor, motionless, as Sans inched forward. He slowly bent down to examine the body, sighing in relief when the girl showed no sign of life. The ketchup loving monster was just about to turn away, hoping to figure out a way to regain consciousness, when a bright light filled the room and the kids body vanished._

_'No! This can't be happening!' Sans snarled internally as he turned to face the entrance to the hall... he had seen this happen many times during the timelines. 'There's no way she could reset here... what the hell is going on?!”_

“ _Hmm, you looked confused.” Chara stated, stepping into the light. “Not as smart as you thought you were, huh?”_

“ _What did ya do, kid?” The small skeleton demanded, questions burning in his eyes. “How did you not die just now?”_

“ _Well, fine... I'll tell you. I suppose I'll take it as your final request.” The demented child laughed, smiling creepily. “Even if you shatter my soul a hundred times, I won't die. You see I'm not actually alive to begin with, so even if your attacks are a slight inconvenience... they're nowhere near permanent.”_

_Sans' eye sockets widened in poorly suppressed fear as his plan was hurled out the window. He had trapped himself in this nightmare with a seemingly immortal foe and things were not looking good for him at the moment._

_'I can't believe I fell into this trap!' Sans chided himself, trembling slightly from the stress of the situation. 'I'd give anything to keep the others away from this demon spawn but I... I need help.'_

_The pun loving monster watched warily, never taking his eyes off Chara as she drew a second knife, quickly resuming her previous attack with unyielding ferocity. All he can do now is stay alive and hope that his friends find him before it's too late._

XXX-XXX-XXX

Papyrus rushed through the trees, narrowly avoiding a collision on several occasions, but he didn't care... all that mattered was finding his little brother. Breaking through the last of the undergrowth, Pap came upon the clearing that held the lake, only for his breath to catch in his throat as he caught sight of what was awaiting him. Sans lay on the snow covered ground, still as death, the only indication that he was even alive being the shallow rise and fall of his chest.

“BROTHER?!” The elder skeleton shouted, distressed, as he rushed forward and yanked the smaller monster close... rocking him gently as tears streamed down his cheekbones.

Noticing the red liquid soaking into the snow, Papyrus searched for the source, finding a deep gash on his baby bros right leg. He nearly choked when he saw the damage that had been done and let out a soul-wrenching sob, realizing the pain his brother must be going through. Using the only thing he had on hand, Pap wrapped his scarf around the wound, tying it tightly in place to prevent any more blood from escaping.

The others gathered around, heads bowed in shame as they saw the state the youngest monster was in. They all knew the teen was fighting Chara at this very moment and there was absolutely nothing they could do to help.

“Sans, please wake up... please...” Papyrus trailed off, watching as several smaller cuts appeared on the comedians body. “DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!”

“He's so cold.” Toriel stated, worriedly. “We should get him somewhere warm and safe, then we can try to figure out how to help.”

The skeleton nodded solemnly, lifting the comedian into his arms with little effort while being careful not to jostle his leg. Regardless of the way he looked, Sans actually didn't weigh much at all, and his big brother was used to carrying him around. After all, the jokester tended to fall asleep at his post nearly everyday and declined to wake up long enough to walk home. It was then that Pap would take it upon himself to make sure his brother made it home safely.

“Let's go.” He replied curtly, already heading in the direction of his house, eyes blazing with silent fury as he glanced down at the battered teen.

Undyne, Alphys, and Tori followed... troubled to see this side of their enthusiastic friend. In the time they've known him Papyrus had never showed even a hint of anger, and if they were being completely honest, it scared them. His eyes were now constantly lit with an orange glow and the air around him seemed to crackle with a potent energy. They were incredibly thankful that the spaghetti lover had such a tight control on his magic. Pap would admit that growing up with a baby brother who only had one HP was a very good incentive to practice restraint, after all, he couldn't afford any mistakes.

_'Tell me you didn't do what I think you've done!'_ He thought, fear making his hands tremble as he tightened his hold, remembering the memory that had resurfaced.  _'I can't know for sure but... that injury on his leg should have been enough to jolt him out of it! What will we do if he doesn't...'_

His thoughts trailed off as his eyes began to water, but he refused to let the tears fall. No, he believed in his brother. There was no way that he would have done something so desperate without having a plan... would he? Papyrus certainly hoped not.

“Hey, we're almost there!” Undyne shouted as the trees thinned out.

The scarf-less monster glanced up, seeing the sign that welcomed them to Snowdin. Letting out a relieved breath, he allowed himself to slow slightly, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to them. In a matter of minutes the small group had entered the skelebros house and Pap softly placed Sans on the couch before moving so that the boys head rested in his lap.

“What n...now?” Alphys asked uncertainly, glad to be out of the cold as she stood a little ways away.

“Now we wait.” The normally loud male stated, voice barely more than a whisper.

With that his friends settled on the floor close to the brothers, offering silent support. Papyrus didn't pay any attention though, he was too focused on watching the eighteen year old, searching for any sign that he was in pain. Grabbing the antibacterial cream and a few band-aids from the first aid kit, which had been brought down from Sans' room earlier, the elder took care of the minor cuts that had appeared on the smaller monster.

“I'm so sorry brother... I never meant to break my promise. I've only ever wanted to be there for you... but I let my ambitions get in the way. How will you ever forgive me?” He said guiltily as he ran a gentle thumb over the cut located below his bros left eye, startled when some of the younger monsters magic filled the room... though it lasted only a few seconds.

“Papyrus, you know Sans would never hold this against you.” Tori replied, even though she didn't exactly know what he was talking about. “The only thing he desired was for you to be happy. Do you truly think he'd be glad to know that you're blaming yourself for this?”

The normally energetic monsters eyes widened, he knew how his brother thinks. Sans would be upset to learn that he was feeling this way and do his best to cheer him up, waiting until he was alone to let his smile fall as he tried to figure out what he could have done to prevent it in the first place.

“No...” He said at last, a defeated expression taking over his face. “He wouldn't be.”

XXX-XXX-XXX

_Sans waited quietly, watching for his enemy to reappear once more. He had already killed her nearly a dozen times but no matter what he did... she adamantly refused to stay down. It was taking longer this time, however, and he hoped it was a sign that she was running out of whatever power allowed her to escape death. Multiple cuts littered his body, having gained them throughout the battle... the worst being a deep gash just above his right knee. It had nearly split the bone in half and blood flowed from the wound in a steady stream. He was having trouble staying on his feet and could tell that it was slowing him down significantly, yet he wouldn't allow the brat to get the better of him. Though he had to admit... he was growing more and more worn out as the hours ticked by._

_'This might be the end for me.' The short monster acknowledged as he kept watch. 'But Papyrus would never let me hear the end of it if I gave up now.'_

_A tender smile appeared on his face as he thought of his older bro, letting the memories engulf him for a few moments. The teen winced, skeletal hand flying up to his injured cheek as he felt a feather light touch ghost across the bone. All at once his left eye began to glow, shock radiating throughout his entire being. Somehow he was able to sense Paps magic. It was like a tingle of electricity coursing through him._

“ _What the heck?” He asked aloud, unable to comprehend how he had felt his brother even though the elder monster wasn't in this plain of existence. “How did you manage something like this Pappy?”_

“ _That simpleton couldn't manage to tie his shoes let alone whatever it is you think he's done.” A snide voice sounded from the darkness, snapping the jokester out of his musings._

“ _Why don't ya mind yer own business you dirty brother killer?” Sans replied furiously, getting back into his fighting stance, wobbling somewhat due to his bad leg._

_Gaster blasters manifested around Chara but she dodged easily, however she failed to notice the array of various sized bones flying towards her until it was too late. They pierced the kids body, effectively pinning her to a nearby column by her arms and legs. Blood dripped from her wounds as the fallen childs face contorted in pain._

“ _And I'm sick of you constantly putting my bro down! So, if you know what's good for you, you'll never talk about him like that again!” The small framed skeleton growled angrily as he walked forward._

“ _Or what? You'll kill me some more?” The girl taunted, discreetly eying the knives she had dropped during the attack as she tried to come up with a plan to reach them. “Haven't you learned yet? It won't do any good, I'll just keep coming back... no matter how long it takes. By the time I'm finished with you... you'll be begging me to end your pitiful existence once and for all.”_

“ _Keep telling yerself that kid.” He said, somewhat bored before thrusting a fibula straight through her soul._

_Another bright flash lit the hall and Sans gave a sigh, sinking to the floor as his leg gave out. He should have a few minutes before the brat reappeared and he needed to catch his breath. Everything that she'd been saying was beginning to work it's way under his skin. Well, it would be if he had any that is. He couldn't help but wonder what it was all for. Did he trap himself In this nightmare for nothing? No! Even in the real world he had managed to defeat her. He couldn't give up now, if he did... it was all over._

_'Heh, not on my watch.' He thought, rising to his feet once again. 'Who knows what she'll do if I lose. That brat may even be able to transfer herself over to one of the others. Welp, guess I'd better stick around to prevent that!'_

_He stumbled, his leg not wanting to hold any weight. The teen was also having trouble focusing, dizziness making his vision swim. It was clear that this never ending battle had definitely taken it's toll on him._

“ _You know it's not very nice to kill me before I even get the chance to attack.” Chara's voice sounded from his left. “I'll just have to take the initiative this time.”_

“ _Argh!” The ketchup lover cried as a knife unexpectedly ripped through his side below his ribs, just managing to graze his spine._

_Somehow he had been able to twist out of the way at the last second, avoiding most of the damage._

_'Man that was too close.' He admitted, gasping in shock as he once again felt the same tingling as earlier, something warm brushing against the injury as Paps energy swirled around him. 'Brother... please lend me strength.'_

_He took a few deep breaths, never letting the child escape his sight, before launching a combo of bones and blasters. By the time the move was finished, the girl had many small scrapes yet had escaped any major injuries. She rushed forward, swiftly throwing one knife at his face while pulling out the second. Using a femur, Sans managed to deflect the strike back towards his enemy, grinning in satisfaction as the blade plunged into the humans stomach. His victory was short lived, however. Chara flung her second weapon at the skeleton which the teen effectively sidestepped, watching as it fell harmlessly to the ground a few feet behind him. A soft grunt brought his attention back to his foe only to notice the fallen child tear the other knife from her wound and race forwards. Using the last of her strength, the kid launched an all out assault... aiming slices at his arms, legs, and torso in rapid succession. The small skeleton dodged with practiced ease until he felt his slippered foot catch on something and he began to fall, a knife following him down._

XXX-XXX-XXX

The older skeleton refused to leave his baby bros side. He sat there, watching as several more cuts appeared on the teens body. He had long since removed Sans' hoodie and undershirt, leaving him in just his shorts in order to more effectively treat the injuries that kept appearing. The girls were staying busy as well. Toriel had run to the store, coming back with more bandages and antiseptic. The goat mom had been extremely guilt-ridden over the fact that she didn't have enough magic left to heal the young monster, but Pap reassured her that it wasn't her fault. Undyne was steadfastly securing the area, making sure no unwanted company would show up while Alphys pored over books, trying to find something that could be of use.

“Have you found anything?” Tori asked, question directed toward the yellow dinosaur sitting on the floor at the end of the couch.

“Nothing th...that alludes to anything about what S...Sans is experiencing.” She replied frustratedly, closing the book with a loud thud. “There's no information about dr...dreams that transfer into the waking world.”

Papyrus felt his eyes trail to the notebook that still sat on the table, mere feet away, a thought crossing his mind.

“Maybe my brother wrote something about it in his journal.” He stated, glancing at his friends. “He was always writing notes about one thing or another, it's worth taking a look.”

“You're right!” The scientist exclaimed excitedly. “Why didn't I think of th...that?”

She immediately took hold of the book the energetic monster pointed to, placing the other aside as she buried her nose in the younger skeletons personal thoughts.

“Hey, I'm finished patrolling the area.” The fish lady said, closing the door behind her as she reentered the house. “No one will be bothering us any time soon.”

Toriel and Papyrus nodded, Alphys didn't even bother glancing up from her work. Undyne took a seat next to her girlfriend as Pap went back to observing his brother, eyes narrowed in worry as he noticed the sweat beginning to bead on the boys forehead. Suddenly the teen let out a pained noise, arching his back slightly as a cut appeared just below his ribs across the side of his spine.

“Oh my god...” The tall skeleton choked out, too quiet for the others to hear, his face paling as he swiftly inspected the injury.

Chara's attack could have easily cut straight through the bone. That thought caused him to shudder involuntarily. Upon taking a closer look though, he realized it was just a graze and let himself relax, laying his hand against the cut as he once more gathered the medical supplies he would need. He was surprised when his brother let out a shocked gasp, his magic beginning to swirl around the room in blue waves for the second time. The others glanced up, startled expressions on their faces.

“What the heck's happening?” The warrior shouted, unsure whether to be worried or not.

“I... I don't know.” Alphys admitted, curiosity shining on her face.

“I sense so many emotions...” The queen trailed off, trying to decipher what it could mean.

Papyrus wasn't paying attention however, his concerned eyes gazing at his brothers small form. He was certain that he'd heard the younger monster call out for him, pleading to lend him strength.

_'What is wrong Sans? Are you in trouble?'_ That thought caused fear to spread through him and he couldn't help but think of all the terrible things his little bro was suffering at the hands of their enemy.

Then, without warning, the teens damaged soul became visible. Hairline fractures spreading out from the center like a spiderweb as Sans began struggling to breath.

“Brother?” Pap whispered, desperation filling in his eyes as they began to glow.

The despair in the spaghetti lovers voice drew the attention of everyone else in the room and they all froze, watching as the cracks slowly widened. Toriel's paws flew up to cover her eyes as she began to cry, lamenting the fact that she had failed to save one of the boys she'd begun to think of as an adopted son. Alphys was trembling uncontrollably, face hidden in her girlfriends shoulder as Undyne gritted her teeth in frustration, wishing there was something she could do to help the youngest skelebro.

“SANS... NO!!!” Papyrus screamed in anguish, as he held his brother in his arms... resolve filling his teary eyes.

As his baby bro gave a final stuttering breath, Pap bent down, pressing a loving kiss to the boys forehead before summoning every drop of magic he possessed.


	10. A Brothers Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Okay, so I've been planning this from the very beginning, it's one of the ideas that started this fic. I know it's a pretty big plot twist but I wanted something original... I really hope you like it. I think this is personally one of my very favorite chapters for this story... it turned out so well! Thanks to everyone who have supported this story and please let me know what you think :)**   
>  **Disclaimer: Toby Fox is the awesome creator of Undertale, not me. The only thing I own is the plot of this story.**

The room swirled with blue energy. It crackled like electricity, the impending feeling of a storm building in the air yet no clouds filled the sky. No... this feeling was due, in whole, to a certain tall skeleton trying desperately to save his baby brother. After summoning all of his power, Papyrus pressed both hands firmly against the teens sternum... ignoring everything else around him as he gently infused his magic with his brothers broken soul.

“Please Sans, come back to me...” He whispered, watching as the cracks continued to widen.

Pap hesitated slightly, worried that he would cause the fragile spirit to immediately shatter, before increasing the rate at which his power traveled into the younger monster. He had no choice if he wished to save his bro, after all, what did he have to lose? Sans was already on the verge of death and being careful had proven ineffective. With a resigned sign, he pressed down harder, letting as much of his energy as he could spare transfer to the younger skeleton. The spaghetti lover knew his magic was draining rapidly and still he could see no sign of improvement. As he slumped forward slightly, the normally energetic monster could feel his mentors hands on his scapulae, trying to drag him away and break the connection... but he refused to be moved.

“Come on Papyrus!” The warrior shouted angrily, yet even so he could hear the concern hidden within her tone. “If you don't stop now, we're not only gonna lose Sans, we'll lose you too!”

_'So be it...'_ The normally energetic monster thought to himself as he reinforced his grip on the other skeleton.  _'I will not give up on him!'_

If his brother was destined to die like this, then he would sacrifice every last fraction of magic he possessed trying to save him... at least then they would be together in their final moments.

“I'm right here Sans!” He called aloud, struggling against Undyne's unshakable hold. “I'm not letting go... YOU ARE NOT ALONE ANYMORE!”

_'Papyrus!'_ Pap could swear he heard Sans' voice cry out to him.  _“Please... HELP ME!'_

All of a sudden a brilliant blue glow enveloped the room as a shock wave shot out from where the brothers touched, causing those present to shut their eyes tightly against the blinding light and throwing Undyne backwards against the wall. Even as he felt the wind whip around him, Papyrus never moved from his post, staying glued to his brother's side as his magic finally succeeded in knitting the damaged soul back together... though the physical wounds remained.

“See brother? I was... finally able to... protect you...” His voice trailed off as he collapsed, phalanges intertwining with his brothers while his head rested atop the younger skelebros chest... just above where the newly restored soul resided.

The concerned voices of his friends were the last thing he heard before the darkness claimed him.

XXX-XXX-XXX

He was lying on something soft. That was the first thing Sans noticed after coming back to awareness. He didn't quite remember what had happened or what he'd been doing before finding himself in this open field, but found it didn't really matter. Green grass and several varieties of flowers surrounded him and the sun was shining brightly, effectively warming his tired bones. He felt peaceful, as if this place was were he belonged, yet in the back of his mind he could sense that something was amiss. It all seemed too perfect and if the time loops had taught him anything it was that if something seemed too good to be true... it usually was. A sudden stab of pain made his breath hitch and, as he looked down, he let out a shocked gasp. The blue heart that made up his soul was cracked so badly he was afraid it would fall apart at any moment. Barely daring to move, the comedian summoned a small amount of magic, stopping immediately upon noticing the cracks spreading further.

“What happened to me?” He asked himself, wishing with all his might that he could remember. “Wait... why am I on the surface? Was the barrier destroyed?”

“ _Please Sans, come back to me.”_ He heard a voice echo in the stillness and his eyes widened... that was Pappy!

All of a sudden his memories came flowing back. Everything that had happened, every mistake he'd made, every fight against Chara. It all came back in one fell swoop leaving him breathless and panting, clutching the chest of his hoodie in a tight grip as he tried to subdue his rising panic.”

_'I can't be dead!'_ He thought, fear coursing through his very being. _'I can feel pain, that means I'm still alive... doesn't it?”_

As he stood there, trembling, he heard his brothers voice once more... sounding slightly closer than before. _“I'm right here Sans! I'm not letting go... YOU ARE NOT ALONE ANYMORE!”_

“Papyrus!” He yelled, reaching out with his magic until he felt the other skeletons presence. “Please... HELP ME!”

Moments later a calm feeling spread through him as he was enveloped by his older bros magic. He watched in silent awe as his soul was pulled back together, the cracks disappearing save for a few silvery lines where the gaps had once been. Tears leaked from his eye sockets as he felt a hand clutch his and, glancing up, he saw his big brother standing beside him.

“ _See brother? I was... finally able to... protect you...”_ Sans smiled gently as he caught the taller skeleton's exhausted form and carefully sat down, his injured leg unable to hold their combined weight, before laying Paps head in his lap. 

“Let's just rest here awhile, kay Pappy?” He said relieved, eyes slipping shut as he kept a firm hold on his bros hand.

Their respite was short lived however. It wasn't long before the smaller monster felt the world shift around him and, upon glancing up, found himself back in the judgment hall... but this time Papyrus was with him.

Carefully leaning the taller skeleton against the the wall near the door which led to Asgore's throne room, he sighed, rising to his feet.

“Just stay here bro.” The pun lover stated, voice filled with new resolve. “You've done enough... I'll take it from here.”

Moving into position, Sans once more called forth his powers as he summoned a few gaster blasters. In mere minutes the human appeared, a dark scowl directed towards his very alive figure.

“Shouldn't you be a pile of dust by now?” Chara growled, pointing the tip of her knife at his head.

“Heh, well ya see, long story short...” He began, glaring at the fallen child with cold eyes. “I've got this amazing older brother who would do anything to protect the ones he cares about... even offer most of his magic to heal the soul of his broken little brother. But that's just how he is. He always thinks of others first, always wants to help, but then... you already knew that didn't you?”

“So cute, innocent Pappy is of some use after all... he's like your own personal soul repair kit. But don't monsters fall down if they use up too much magic?” She mocked, relishing the self-hatred she could see lingering in the short monsters expression before imitating his voice to the best of her abilities. “Hey, pap? I think I'm gonna die, how bout you almost kill yourself to give me the power to continue this pointless fight?”

She snorted upon seeing the enraged spark in the monsters dark sockets.

“Really Sans, how pathetic can you get?” The girl continued, red eyes glinting mirthfully.

“Sure, I'll admit I asked Papyrus for help. But if I'd known what was happening, if I'd known he was using up all his magic to try and revive me, I would have told him not to risk his life for my sake... that I wasn't worth it!” Sans declared, magic swirling dangerously. “And you have no right to even talk about him! Pap sees the good in everybody, Chara, even you. He was just trying to save you from the path you chose and how did you repay him... by murdering him in cold blood. Not just once or twice... but countless times. All he wanted was to prove that you could be a better person, that you deserved the chance to be happy, just like we all do... AND YOU CUT HIM DOWN WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT!”

He was crying now, tears falling from his eye sockets in angry streams as he remembered all the times he'd watched his brother die at the dusk covered hands of that brat. The fallen human was currently hunched over, arms around her stomach as she giggled hysterically, though she was silenced as a blaster shot it's deadly beam directly at her face. Sans scowled, the girl hadn't even tried to dodge, instead she just glanced up and smiled cockily before letting herself be killed. The small framed skeleton growled lowly. Knowing it wouldn't take long before she returned, he moved to face the other end of the hall. If he wanted to get out of here safely with his bro he needed to figure out how to defeat her, otherwise... Papyrus would have risked his life in vain.

XXX-XXX-XXX

Upon opening his eyes Papyrus had no idea where he was, though he did notice that his scarf was once again wrapped around his neck instead of his baby bros leg. He squinted against the golden light filtering through the stained glass windows, watching as it fell softly upon a room filled with stone pillars. None of that mattered though, for in that moment he noticed his brother. Sans stood in the middle of the hallway, gaze fixated on the far door as if waiting for something to appear. As the taller monster watched, the teen turned slightly, revealing his glowing left eye before summoning several large bones. Tearing his eye sockets away from his baby bro, Pap stretched to see around the columns, hoping to catch sight of what had drawn the comedians wrath. There was nothing out of the ordinary, at least not that he could see anyways, after all... this was the first time he'd been in this place.

“SANS?” He called, rising to his feet before cautiously making his way toward the shorter skeleton. “What's wrong? What is it that you see?”

The eighteen year old whipped around, panic clear on his face as he rushed forward, one hard outstretched.

“Papyrus... get down!” The younger monster cried urgently, causing the other to look around wildly as he searched for a threat.

Suddenly an attack flew directly towards him from the shadows, but he had no time to defend. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable impact, however the move passed right through his body, leaving only a tingling sensation in its wake. Pap dropped to his knees, shaking slightly as Sans reached him. The smaller monster immediately wrapped his bony arms around his big brother, burying his face in the larger monsters signature scarf.

“I th...thought I was going to l...lose you again.” He whimpered, barely audible as tears soaked into the red fabric. “I... I wouldn't be able to sur...survive watching you d...die again!”

His voice broke off as a sob wrenched itself from his throat, jarring Papyrus out of his shock. He swiftly returned the embrace, offering much needed comfort to the jokester.

“Shh... I'm here Sans.” He began, running a soothing hand over the teens back. “I'm not going anywhere. You'll never have to witness anything like that ever again... I promise.”

It took a couple minutes but finally the younger brother had calmed down enough to talk.

“Pappy, you need to get out of here.” He declared, eyes warily watching the darkness. “I don't know why Chara's attack didn't hurt you but... I don't want to take any chances. Next time we might not be so lucky. You need to wake up before something happens!”

“WAIT... YOU MEAN I'M INSIDE YOU'RE DREAM!” Pap yelled loudly, the slightest hint of anger in his voice. “THAT MEANS CHARA IS HERE TOO DOESN'T IT? WHERE IS THAT HUMAN WHO HAS CAUSED MY AWESOME BROTHER SO MUCH PAIN? I WILL MAKE SURE SHE REGRETS IT!”

“No Papyrus!” Sans pleaded, grabbing his bros arm as he tried to move forward. “Please don't do this!”

“Brother... I don't understand.” The elder stated, eyes narrowed in confusion. “Wouldn't it be easier to defeat the fallen child if we work together?”

“No... I mean, yes... but...” The comedian trailed off, having trouble finding the right words to express his concerns. “I don't want you to be in danger!”

Pap relented with a sigh, not wanting to upset his baby bro more than he already was. “Alright brother, I won't argue with you.”

He watched as Sans' posture grew relieved and he nodded, finally letting go of the energetic skeletons wrist. Before he could say anything, however, a noise drew his attention and he pushed the taller monster behind one of the large pillars.

“Stay here Pap, try to wake up.” He commanded, waiting for Papyrus to agree before rushing towards the middle of the hall. “I'll keep Chara busy.”

The older skelebro knew he'd told Sans that he would try to wake up but he just couldn't bring himself to do it... not when his little brother was in such peril. He sat there for a time, trying to come up with a plan to aid the teenager, when he heard the sound of Sans' blasters powering up. Peaking out from his hiding place, Papyrus watched as they shot their beams down the long hallway, illuminating the shadows enough for him to see... but nothing was there.

_'Maybe the human got incinerated already.'_ He thought to himself, watching as nearly a dozen bones were summoned.

He ducked back behind the pillar when he noticed Sans glance over his shoulder.

_'Phew... that was close.'_ The scarf clad monster exhaled in relief.  _'I'd better be more careful.'_

A cry of pain drew his attention back to the fight and he glanced once more in his bros direction, only to find the shorter skeleton down on one knee, hand pressed against the shin of his bad leg. The wound must not have been too serious though, for a few seconds later the boy had already regained his feet... albeit a bit unsteadily. Blue magic whirled in the air as bones were sent flying in the opposite direction of Paps hiding place. The frown on the others face told him that his brothers attack had missed it's mark and he waited silently for the enemy to retaliate. He gasped loudly as a jagged femur sliced through the teens defenses, landing a solid hit to his right scapula.

“What?” Papyrus whispered, shock marring his features. “That wasn't a knife... it was a... a bone!”

He continued to watch, unable to turn away from the fight as Sans continued to struggle against the invisible assailant. His eyes widened, taking on an orange hue as he silently observed what was happening. There was no knife, in fact, there was no human... the only thing Papyrus saw was a sharpened bone appear out of thin air each time his brother was attacked. The look of fear on Sans' face stole his breath and left tears streaming down his cheeks. It was clear that the teen was panicking, breaths coming sharp and quick as his attacks grew more frantic. The younger skeleton didn't seem to notice however and that, above all else, is what worried Pap the most.

_'What's going on?'_ The normally rambunctious monster thought apprehensively.  _'It looks like Sans' attacks are turning back on him but... but that's impossible... isn't it?'_

All at once the puzzle pieces fell into place, the full picture now revealed as the tall monster drew in a shaky breath. It wasn't impossible... in fact that's exactly what was happening. He rushed out from where he'd been concealed, racing to his bros side as the younger nearly collapsed from exhaustion... the wounds he'd sustained earlier re-opening.

“SANS YOU MUST STOP FIGHTING!” Papyrus shouted, concern prominent in his expression.

“Pap?” The other replied, startled. “What are you still doing here? I told you to escape!”

“That's not important!” The elder countered, grabbing Sans by the shoulders in a firm grip. “Sans... you are fighting yourself! The Chara that you're seeing isn't real!”

“How can you say that?” The comedian growled, tearing himself away from his older brothers hold before gesturing to himself. “Do you really think I'd willingly do this to myself Pappy?”

“I'd never think that.” The elder denied vehemently, surprised at the anger being directed his way.

Paps sockets widened as he saw a bone fly out of nowhere and he tried to warn his brother. The teen didn't notice in time though and the attack sliced across his forehead as he tried to dodge, making the boy wince as a trail of blood ran down the right side of his face.

“See Papyrus, that was clearly a knife!” The slipper wearing skeleton said, still slightly mad.

“What? No it wasn't!” He exclaimed, reaching out for the younger monster once more, using his thumb to wipe the blood from his baby bros eye. “Sans your magic is out of control! It's making the fear, anxiety, and regret you've kept locked inside yourself manifest in the form of the thing you are most afraid of... the fallen human... the one who has already taken away everything you cared about on numerous occasions. Even when you started opening up to me and our friends you still kept most of what you were feeling hidden within your soul. Don't you think it's time to let it go, brother? Don't you think it's time to forgive yourself?”

Sans closed his eyes, doubt filling his soul as tears began pouring down his face like rain. If what Pap had said was true, then this had all happened because he'd been too stubborn to admit what he was feeling. All the suffering his friends and him had been through in the past few days had been his fault. But... why now?

“How can that be true Pap?” He asked dejectedly, letting his older brother wrap him in a gentle hold. “It's been several months since we escaped the loops. Why would this suddenly start happening now?”

“I... I don't know.” The elder admitted, running a calming hand over the jokesters skull. “You were always the smart one Sans. I'm actually surprised I managed to figure this much out on my own.”

“Heh, don't say that bro. You're smart about a lot of things.” The smaller monster contradicted, burrowing into his brothers embrace.

Another needle-like bone appeared a few feet away, aimed at the slipper clad skeletons back but Papyrus shifted them out of the way with little trouble. Sans' breaths were still coming in ragged gasps as the teen tried to get a hold of his panic.

“I'm still not sure I believe this though, I mean... I saw her Pappy! The brat looked so real. She... She even taunted me just like the real Chara would!” He confessed, beginning to hyperventilate.

A quiet whimper escaped the shorter monsters mouth as his broken leg finally gave out... but Papyrus managed to catch him before he could hit the ground. The older brother softly set the smaller skeleton on the tiled floor, leaning his back against one of the many columns that lined the hall before proceeding to wrap his scarf around the cracked and bleeding bone... exactly as he'd done in the waking world.

“I know it's hard to take in but I'm certain that it was all an illusion.” Pap said resolutely once he'd finished, already on the lookout for any other attacks. “I never once saw the fallen human while watching you fight.”

“But...” The eighteen year old began, only to be interrupted.

“Sans... I want you to close your eyes, take deep breaths, and try to calm down.” His older brother demanded, skeletal hand resting firmly on his scapula. “The Chara that reaped havoc on the underground is gone, she has been for a long time now, you don't have to be afraid anymore. That human can't hurt you, or anyone, ever again. Why don't you try focusing on the good things that have happened since we've been free of the loops. The fun times we've had with our friends or the quiet times we've spent together at home. Those memories are real and we have our whole lives ahead of us to make more.”

Another deadly femur flew at Sans as the teen tried to regain control of his magic. Papyrus wished he were able to stop it, but knowing he couldn't, he was instead forced to move his brother out of the way before settling him back down as the danger passed. A thought abruptly entered his head and he came to an immediate realization.

“That's why the attack passed through me earlier.” He stated, understanding plain in his expression as the younger skelebro opened his eyes. “You didn't want to hurt me so your magic subconsciously adjusted, allowing for me to escape unharmed.”

“I'm glad for that at least and see, you're smarter than you give yourself credit for.” The teen responded, agreeing with what the taller monster had just deduced before growing sullen. “At least I did something right, I managed not to let myself hurt you again.”

“SANS, DO NOT SAY SUCH THINGS, OU DO MANY THINGS RIGHT!” Pap exclaimed, concern written in his stance. “AND ME GETTING INJURED WAS NOT YOUR FAULT!”

The comedian shrugged, wincing as his injured shoulder was moved. He knew that what his older brother said was true, but still, there were times when he felt pretty worthless... but those moments were growing further and further apart. Now that he'd told his friends about the timelines he was beginning to comprehend that he'd done everything he possibly could. Sure there had been many times when he'd failed, even times he'd given up completely, but in the end he had managed to help Frisk break free of Chara's hold and they had finally escaped the loops. Papyrus was right. Why should he dwell on the past when they have their whole futures in front of them? He glanced up just in time to notice a knife swiftly flying towards them. Raising his hand, the younger skeleton caught it, watching as it transformed into a razor sharp bone within his grasp. Letting his eye light up with it's normal brilliant blue, he forced his wayward powers back under his control. As the attack dissipated into thin air he smiled genuinely up at Papyrus.

“I knew you could do it, brother!” The taller monster proclaimed excitedly, grinning widely. “Now let us wake up and tell the others the good news!”

Sans' smile fell as he remembered what he'd done. Sensing the mood shift, the spaghetti lovers face scrunched up in worry.

“Umm, that might be a bit of a problem for me Pap.” The shorter skeleton sighed sadly, rubbing the back of his skull with one hand.

“Oh my god, Sans...” The elder's voice shook fearfully. “I was hoping I was wrong but, I'm not... am I? You used it...”

“Tibia honest... I didn't think I had a choice.” He replied sullenly, unable to meet his bros eyes. “I wanted to keep you and the others safe, and also get rid of Chara once and for all. How was I supposed to know my fears were the reason behind everything?”

“But... but what are we going to do?” The scarf wearing monster asked, trusting that his intelligent baby brother would have a solution.

“You're gonna wake up and, well, I'm not... that's what we're gonna do.” Sans told him unwaveringly.

“WHAT... NO!” The elder complained, taking hold of the younger skelebros hands in both of his. “I WON'T LEAVE YOU HERE!”

“Please Pap, I don't want you to be trapped here like I am.” He pleaded, returning his brothers grip comfortingly. “My notes are in the pocket of my hoodie. Maybe with Alphys' help you guys can figure out a way to save me but, if you can't, I don't want you blaming yourself. I made this decision on my own and you've already done enough. If not for you... I'd still be caught up in that awful illusion my mind had conjured.”

“SANS... I... I DON'T WANT YOU TO...” The elder trailed off, incapable of finishing his sentence as he began to cry.

“I know.” The comedian said, tears streaming down his cheek bones as he pulled the taller monster into a gentle hug. “I know, Pappy. I don't want that either but, just in case, I want to tell you what an amazing brother you are.”

“Sans...” The elder tried to speak but his voice gave out.

“No, just listen.” The smaller monster demanded, trying in vain to keep his voice even. “You've always been there for me no matter what. You're the most caring person I've ever met and no matter how bad things seem... you always manage to find something good about the situation. I love you so much, big brother. Please don't ever forget that.”

“I... I won't” Papyrus choked out through his sobs. “And I think you're the best little brother in the whole world. Even though you can be lazy at time you still did everything in your power to save everyone and I couldn't be more proud of you.”

The two sat there for a few minutes, sharing what could be their final embrace, before Papyrus' body slowly began to grow transparent and he dissolved in a shower of light... leaving Sans alone on the floor of the judgment hall.


	11. Running Out Of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: Yay! I updated early for once! I was pretty inspired and had actually had extra time on my hands so I managed to get this chapter finished a few days sooner. I really like how this turned out and I think this story will probably only have a few more chapters unless I think of something else to add. Anyway, I really hope you like this and I promise there will be more Sans in the next chapter since he didn't have as big a part in this one. Let me know what you think and thanks as always for taking the time to read my work :)**   
>  **Disclaimer: Toby Fox owns Undertale and, no matter how many stars I wish on, that will never change.**

“SANS!” Papyrus shouted, jerking awake back in their house in Snowdin.

Glancing around in the hopes of seeing his younger brother awake, he was sorely disappointed to find the teen still laying prone on the sofa. He himself had been propped against the couch, hand still wrapped around the shorter skeletons as it had been when he'd first collapsed. Letting a few frustrated tears escape his eye sockets, Pap finally realized that their friends weren't in the room. Turning to face the injured skeleton, he knelt and placed a kiss on the boys forehead before reaching into the blue hoodies pocket and pulling out several pages of worn notebook paper.

“Do not worry brother... we'll find a way to bring you back.” He said as he rose to his feet, a soft grunt escaping him as his joints protested.

Upon hearing voices coming from the kitchen Papyrus headed in that direction, pausing to grab another scarf from the closet since his was currently wrapped around his brothers leg. This one was orange with little white bones embroidered along the edge and was slightly shorter than his other had been. It was also a bit worn seeing as he'd had it since he was about fourteen. Pap smiled fondly as he wrapped the soft material around his neck, remembering the day Sans had given it to him before walking into the kitchen.

“Papyrus! You're awake!” Undyne shouted, rushing forward and pulling him into her arms in an uncharacteristic show of affection. “We were so worried when you passed out. Don't scare us like that again, you moron!”

“IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO UNDYNE!” He replied, having a hard time breathing with how tight the warriors hold was. “HOW IS YOUR HEAD? IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU HIT IT PRETTY HARD WHEN YOU WERE THROWN AGAINST THE WALL!”

“Don't worry about it, I'd never let a little bump to the head stop me from helping my friends!” She declared confidently, a large grin appearing on her face.

“I had her take it easy while you were unconscious.” Toriel added as the fish lady glared at her. “She has a thick skull so all that came from it was a bad headache, but anyways... how's Sans? All we know is that somehow you were able to mend his soul before you fainted.”

The skeletons smile faded at the mention of the state his bro was in and he began to explain what had occurred while he was locked inside Sans' dream. As he talked, the four of them moved back into the living room, Pap once again taking his place on the couch beside the younger skelebro.

“Interesting...” The scientist muttered as the taller monster explained about the comedians magic turning self destructive due to his pent up fear and anxiety. “I've never heard of that happening before, but then again... Sans has been through so much more than any other monster I know of.”

“The poor dear.” Tori spoke quietly, deep concern written in her posture. “Knowing him, he's probably blaming himself for making us worry.”

Papyrus nodded sadly in agreement, knowing for a fact that it was true. He hadn't failed to notice how the eighteen year olds eyes filled with self hate whenever he thought the older skeleton wasn't looking. It was definitely a cause for worry in Paps opinion.

_'I'll have to keep an eye on him when he wakes up, depression is a very serious issue after all.'_ He thought to himself.

Continuing his story, the spaghetti lover held out the slightly crumpled papers to Alphys.

“SANS TOLD ME THAT THESE NOTES MIGHT HELP TO WAKE HIM UP AND THAT I SHOULD GIVE THEM TO YOU!” He exclaimed, hope apparent in his excited voice.

“Well, I...I'll give them a look.” The nervous monster said. “But this isn't really my a...area of expertise. Sans was always be...better at this kind of thing.”

Upon seeing the light dim in the innocent skeletons eye sockets, she tried to reassure him the best she could.

“I'm sure I c...can figure something out th...though.” She announced, praying that she was right and that she wouldn't fail her friends.

“Hey, if anyone can save him it's you!” Undyne asserted, clapping a hand on her girlfriends back. “You're the smartest person I know.”

The yellow monster sent the taller female a grateful look before turning back to the expectant face of the oldest skelebro.

“I'm going to need the key to Sans' lab.” She stated resolutely. “It would take too much time to travel back to my lab in Hotland and Sans may not be able to last that long.”

Papyrus nodded in understanding as he raced up the stairs to his brothers room, rummaging around in the dresser where he knew his bro had stashed it.

_'Come on... where could that key be? I know it's here somewhere...'_ He growled in annoyance before a triumphant sound escaped his mouth.  _'AH-HA... FOUND IT!”_

The energetic monster returned to the living room and promptly handed the key to the short scientist. He then showed her out back to the hidden door, watching as she set about finding the necessary equipment she would need to conduct her research before turning and heading back to his brothers side.

XXX-XXX-XXX

Sans sat of the cold floor after his brother disappeared, face buried in the faux fur lining his collar. He was alone now and there was nothing else to do but wait since he'd gotten his powers back under control. He just had to trust that Pap and the others would find a way to wake him up before it was too late. If his deliberations were correct then he'd already been in this comatose-like state for a whole day and had five left at the very most. With how much magic he'd expanded however... he doubted he even had that. Just as that thought crossed his mind, the pillars surrounding him began to decay. Thin lines spreading in a spider web of cracks around the walls as dust started falling from the ceiling.

“What the heck?” He cried out, teleporting to avoid being crushed as the column he'd been leaning against collapsed in a pile of rubble. “I need to get out of here!”

Deciding it would be best to save what little magic he had left, the short skeleton took off at a limping sprint for the far end of the hall, planning on seeing if he could make his way back to Snowdin... if the town even existed in this place that is. He made it through the exit mere seconds before the ceiling caved in, a stray piece of debris clipping his broken leg, causing pain to shoot up his body. He was lucky that he was still able to walk, adrenalin and desperation helping him to move forward. As he made his way out into the open he was terrified to find that the whole world seemed to be falling into a similar state of destruction with the judgment hall being the central point.

“Welp, this isn't good.” Sans stated, voice thick as he began to wonder if he'd ever see his loved ones again.

XXX-XXX-XXX

He had been sitting by his brothers side for nearly six hours now and still Alphys had yet to yield any results. Papyrus was beginning to grow worried for it seemed as if Sans was growing more pale by the minute. Not long after he had returned from showing the shy scientist to the lab his little brother had mysteriously developed a high fever. Toriel had tried to heal the small skeleton with her newly regenerated magic but it had wielded no results... even the wounds he had received earlier refused to be mended. It was as if a barrier had been erected that refused to let their powers pass through, instead, Pap had taken to cooling his bros temperature to the best of his abilities using a cold towel dipped in ice water. It did little to assuage the ever increasing heat but it was all he could do.

“Sans... this wasn't suppose to happen.” He spoke in a quiet, pleading voice as he vigilantly watched over the younger skeleton. “You're finally free of that human! After so much time... it's finally over! You were suppose to wake up and be happy. I'm really looking forward to getting to know the real you again... not the Sans that constantly hid behind his mask of false cheer. So you need to wake up, if not for yourself then... for me... because, well, I'm not sure if I'd be able to handle losing you. You're the strong one, not me. Please brother... wake up.”

Papyrus sobbed, as Sans' breaths came in harsh gasps, the short monsters cheekbones tinted a light blue. He couldn't help feeling as if he'd failed the younger skeleton. Maybe if he had stayed in that dream world with him things wouldn't have gotten this bad, but no, if he'd done that no one would have told Alphys about the notes that could potentially save his brothers life. The elder monster trusted both the scientist and his bro and had faith that their combined research would yield a cure, but still...

“Papyrus, are you all right?” Toriel asked, stepping back into the room after running a few errands with Undyne. “What happened? Why are you crying?”

The normally exuberant male couldn't help himself, he stood up and ran into the arms of the motherly goat... seeking much needed comfort. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, letting out all the emotions he'd been feeling since this had all begun. Tori wasted no time wrapping the younger monster in a protective embrace. This ordeal had been difficult on everyone involved but the two brothers most of all. She was so proud of them both. It was no secret that Papyrus had grown up a little and stepped into his role of big brother with instinctual ease. Sans on the other hand had been a little reluctant at first, clinging to the fact that Pap relied on him to be the mature one in order to keep himself grounded, though she could tell that wasn't necessary anymore... all he needed was his brothers unceasing support and love to get him through. The two truly relied on one another and it was a heartwarming sight to behold, but she feared what would happen if Sans didn't make it. Toriel knew that she hadn't been around to see the reaction the younger skelebro had to his brothers numerous deaths, but she'd seen the aftermath... and that was enough. She only prayed she wouldn't be forced to witness the elders reaction should he be put in a similar position.

“Hush now, it'll be alright... Sans may be young but he is strong. He persevered through an experience that most would have been unable to escape intact.” The queen said, hoping she was telling the truth as she softly rubbed circles on the skeletons back. “I don't believe he will fall down so easily, especially not when he knows you are here waiting for him to awaken. He wouldn't want to put you through that pain. We all know how important your happiness is to him.”

Pap pulled back, wiping his wet eye sockets on the fringe of his scarf, and gave a watery smile.

“YOU ARE RIGHT, TORIEL!” He exclaimed, trying to put on a brave face. “SANS WOULD NEVER LEAVE HIS AWESOME BROTHER ALONE! HE'LL WAKE UP FOR SURE WITH ME TAKING CARE OF HIM!”

Rushing back to his previous post, the tall monster once again rinsed out the towel in the cool water before placing it back on the younger skeletons skull.

“I'll go check how Alphys is coming on her research.” His mentor commented, having silently stood by through the earlier scene.

“Yes, that would be good.” The goat mom replied. “Thank you, Undyne.”

“Hey, it's no problem.” The fish lady said, heading out the door. “Be right back.”

Papyrus studied his baby bro, realizing that in the short time he'd been away the teens complexion had gotten even paler and his breathing more unsteady.

_'Don't worry Sans... I bet Alphys will find the cure very soon.'_ He thought hopefully, tenderly taking hold of the comedians limp hand.  _'It won't be much longer now... I'm sure of it.'_

XXX-XXX-XXX

It was morning and the jokester stood just outside the door of his house watching as the worlds destruction crept ever closer. He had made it home without much trouble after escaping the immediate vicinity of the judgment hall and had been able to spend a relatively peaceful night in his own room, waking up every so often to check for any signs of danger. Now though, the chaos had reached Snowdin. It had started from the area closest to Waterfall, causing the trees to topple and the earth to fall away into a dark void of nothingness. Sans was just glad that he was the only one trapped in this vanishing world.

_'Thank god Pappy made it out when he did.'_ The short skeleton reflected, relief clear on his face.  _'I never want him to experience anything even remotely similar to this hell!”_

The comedian didn't have any time to ruminate on his thoughts, for at that moment the darkness began to advance quicker, forcing his retreat. As fast as he could with the injuries he'd sustained, the pun loving monster headed toward his guard station near the ruins. It took longer than usual and by the time he'd made it half way he could tell something wasn't right. The wind seemed to be blowing from two directions, both behind and in front of him, and as the teen glanced ahead... all he saw was black stretching through the trees towards him.

“Welp, looks like the only place left to check is the lake.” He sighed in resignation, knowing he was running out of time. _'I'll do my best to stay alive bro, but you'd better hurry... I'm pretty sure this place isn't gonna last much longer.'_

Deciding there was no point conserving his magic when the world was literally ending around him, Sans quickly used his shortcut to reach the frozen lake, glad to find it still existed. He sat himself upon the rock, finally taking the weight off his aching leg, as he thought about what was happening. It was inevitable that the deterioration would reach this place sooner rather than later and the hoodie clad skeleton knew there was no where left for him to run to.

“Come on guys, throw me a bone...” He said out loud, forcing a lighthearted tone. “It would be Sansational if you could pick up the pace on that cure...”

The teen chuckled weakly. He'd always used puns as a sort of coping mechanism but, with nobody around to hear them, it wasn't very effective. He curled up, pulling his legs tight to his body and closing his eyes as he let a few tears escape.

“I... I don't want to die... not again.” Sans spoke in a hushed whisper, revealing what he was truly feeling as the destruction slowly surrounded the lake... leaving him on an diminishing island in the middle of a darkened sea. “I...I'm scared...”

XXX-XXX-XXX

His fever just kept rising, there was nothing Papyrus could do to keep it at bay and the pauses in between the younger monsters breaths had grown longer. The older skeleton had stayed up through the night, nursing his ailing brother in the hopes that it would help... but it seemed as if they had run out of time. He knew in his soul that if Alphys didn't show up with the cure soon his baby brother didn't stand a chance. So, coming to a decision, he called Toriel over to take his place at the teens side before heading out the door to Sans' lab.

“DR. ALPHYS! WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG? He called, slamming the door open in his haste and startling both Alphys and Undyne. “SANS CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER! PLEASE, YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING!"

“I'm just fi...finishing up now.” The timid scientist replied, gaze focus on the vial of liquid she was studying as she offered a warning. “Bu...but it's untested. It may end up causing m...more harm rather than he...healing him.”

“WE'LL JUST HAVE TO RISK IT!” The enthusiastic skeleton stated. “I WANT YOU TO GIVE IT TO SANS AS SOON AS IT'S FINISHED!”

“Are you sure about that Papyrus?” Undyne questioned, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I mean, what if it kills him?”

The puzzle lovers eye sockets narrowed. He didn't like putting his brother at risk but this was their only chance! Sans would surely fall down if they didn't try something soon and if this was the only way to save him then Pap would swallow his worry and trust in his brother, after all, this potion was made using his notes.

“We have no other choice.” He replied quietly, pushing away his growing fear.

_'We just have to hope for the best.'_ The scarf wearing monster added silently.

“I g...guess you're right...” The short, yellow dinosaur said glancing at the clear liquid she held. “I'll b...be in shortly... I just want to ch...check my calculations one last t...time.”

With a single nod of the head, Papyrus turned and raced out of the room, eager to return to his bros side. He was relieved to see that the younger monster hadn't worsened in his absence and he gently reclaimed his seat on the couch, reaching out to clasp his brothers phalanges in his own. True to her word, Alphys returned less than ten minutes later with Undyne following close at hand.

“Is the cure ready?” Tori asked, worry marring her features.

“Umm, well, n...not exactly.” She stammered, casting guilty eyes over to the skelebros.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Pap implored, distressed by the news. “YOU SAID YOU JUST WANTED TO CHECK SOME THINGS!”

“I...I found a mi...mistake when I was going through the n...notes.” The royal scientist stated, growing serious. “If I had given the p...potion to Sans as it is now, he would have d...died for sure.”

Soft gasps escaped both Toriel and Papyrus and they listened intently as the shorter monster continued.

“There was an in...ingredient missing.” Alphys revealed, stepping closer to the older skeleton. “I...it took some time for me to figure out as it was something S...Sans hadn't really explored in his research... only mentioning that it needed the affected m...monsters DNA as well as something else.”

“His DNA?” Toriel questioned, sounding somewhat uncertain.

“Yes... he had samples in his lab th...that he'd been using for tests so I didn't have to b...bother getting a new one.” She reasoned. “But the other ingredient is ha...harder to obtain...”

The shy female trailed off, unsure how to continue as Pap sent her an irritated look, wanting to hear the rest of what she had to say.

“ARE YOU GOING TO TELL US WHAT IT IS OR NOT!?” He demanded, rising to his feet threateningly as his eyes shone a bright orange.”

“I...I'm sorry.” Alphys whimpered, backing away from the taller monster.

“Hey, knock it off Pap! This isn't like you!” Undyne yelled, stepping forward to draw the skeletons attention. “I know you're worried but that doesn't give you the right to be a jerk! What would Sans think if he knew you reacted this way?”

The orange tint immediately left his eye sockets as Papyrus stared in horror at the trembling scientist hiding behind his mentors legs. He had never meant to scare her like that... he was just so frightened of losing his brother. This was the first time he'd ever snapped at someone so badly...

“What have I done?” He muttered, voice nearly inaudible as he covered his face with his hands and collapsed back onto the sofa. “Oh Alphys... I... I'm so sorry. I never...”

“I...I know.” She responded, moving away from her protector to place a comforting hand on her friends knee. “Grief t...tends to make people do and say things th...they don't mean. Now, I need you to focus on the t...task at hand.”

He nodded, still feeling terrible for what had happened.

“The missing ingredient is Sans' m...magic.” The shy female disclosed.

She was about to say more but the older skeleton cut her off.

“BUT HE'S UNCONSCIOUS!” Pap cried, starting to panic. “IS THAT THE ONLY WAY!? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!? WE NEED TO...”

Alphys sent a stern look his way and the loud skeleton instantly shut his mouth.

“I th...think I've found a way to work a...around that problem.” The anime lover revealed.

“How?” The queen spoke up, concern heavy in her tone.

“Sans and P...Papyrus share the same type of magic, add to that the fact that they're b...brothers and I think we can substitute Paps powers to make the p...potion work effectively.” She explained in terms everyone was sure to understand.

“Okay,” The puzzle loving monster agreed decisively, having calmed down significantly. “What do I have to do?”

“Just tr...transfer some of your powers into the vial.” Alphys told him, holding up the small glass container. “It should charge the c...cure with your magic and since it's already attuned to Sans' DNA we'll kn...know it worked if it begins glowing blue.”

“And... if not?” The elder brother asked, voice barely louder than a whisper.

“Let's j...just hope it does.” She said, eyes downcast so as not to see the pain reflected in the skeletons gaze.

Papyrus pushed away his fears as his face lit up with determination and he summoned his powers. Without another word he directed a blast of magic into the container the scientist was holding, being extra careful not to shatter the glass. As he pulled back, everyone waited silently, barely daring to breath as they kept their gazes locked on the potion... but nothing happened. The older skeletons eye sockets widened in despair before he fell to his knees, overcome by the knowledge that he had failed his brother.

“Sans... I wasn't good enough.” Pap whispered brokenly.

A few moments later, awed exclamations filled the room... drawing the despondent monster from his sorrow. Risking a glance up, Papyrus sobbed, tears streaming from his eyes as he watched the cure pulse with a soft blue glow.


	12. A Punderful Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: I'm kinda sad that this story is coming to it's end... all that's left is the epilogue. I do have another Undertale story started however, so you have that to look forward to ;) I really like the flashback in this chapter, it adds so much and opens up so many possibilities about the skelebros past. Hmm, who knows... maybe I'll eventually write a prequel explaining their origins. I'm not sure about that though. Anyway, I really hope you like this chapter, it's a lot happier than most of this story has been. Man, I never intended for this fic to get so dark when I began writing it but... that's how it goes I guess. Remember to please let me know what you think and thanks so much for sticking with me :)**
> 
>  
> 
> **Disclaimer: Who owns Undertale? Toby Fox... Yes, MozartsFantasy... No**

The ground disappeared from under his feet and Sans was falling, the darkness slowly surrounding him. He tensed, waiting for the end to come... but it didn't. All of a sudden, a pale blue light illuminated the area and he saw Papyrus above him... hand reaching down through the hole in an attempt to catch him. The comedian didn't know how, and to tell you the truth didn't really care at the moment, but somehow his brother had come for him. Sure Sans knew he wasn't really there, not in the physical sense at least... but he was there in spirit and that's all that mattered. In his time of need Pap had come through, just like he always did, and that thought was enough to make him reach out towards the taller monster. With the last remnants of his strength, Sans grabbed hold of his bros outstretched hand and was swiftly pulled up into the older skelebros transparent arms, closing his eyes as he relaxed into the warm embrace.

The next time he opened his eyes the pun loving monster was surprised to find himself laying on the couch in their home, staring up into the concerned faces of his friends. His left hand was currently being held in Papyrus' grip and he felt extremely weak and tired as he met the older skeletons gaze.

"Go back to sleep Sans." His brother told him, gently placing his hand on the younger males cheek when he tried opening his mouth to say something. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Needing no more encouragement, he let his eye sockets slip closed once more, unable to resist any longer.

"Alphys..." Pap said as he watched his brother breath easy for the first time in days. "Thank you... thank you for saving Sans. He means the world to me."

The yellow dinosaurs eyes softened as she took in the scene before her.

"No, I may h...have made the cure but... he wouldn't have made it without t...the help of his big brother." She replied honestly.

The spaghetti lover nodded, deciding not to risk waking his bro by arguing. Besides, she was right. If his magic hadn't reacted with the cure then there would have been nothing they could do. That thought sent a shiver of fear through his soul and he instinctively tightened his hold on the younger monsters hand. He was afraid that this may all be a dream and he would awaken to find a pile of dust where his brother had once been. Due to that fear, he refused to let go... deciding to stay with Sans until he was certain the younger skeleton was no longer in danger. It was clear that the teen was utterly exhausted from everything that had happened in the last week as well as from the emotional stress of dealing with the timelines.

_'Just rest, brother.'_ He thought as he kept watch. _'I won't let anything happen to you.'_

"Uh hey, Papyrus?" Undyne questioned, drawing her pupils attention, her voice unusually soft as she approached the couch. "Alphys and I are gonna head home. There's nothing else we can do here so... yea. Call if you need anything, kay?"

"No problem Undyne... thank you for coming." He replied sincerely.

"Don't worry bout it." The fish lady said, casting a glance at the smaller skeleton, hidden concern barely visible in her lone eye. "Just take care of the kid. He's definitely earned my respect, that's for sure."

Alphys approached as her girlfriend was speaking, placing a soft hand over her wounded friends.

"Get better Sans, we all c...care for you very much." She spoke, voice quiet as she turned to Pap. "If he has any side effects f...from the potion I want you to contact me immediately, ev...even if it seems insignificant at the time."

"I will." The scarf wearing monster responded seriously. "I won't take any chances with Sans' safety."

"Good." Was all he got back before the two females gathered their stuff and departed.

Noticing the smaller monster wince in his sleep, Papyrus' eyebrow ridges furrowed in concern.

"Toriel do you think your healing magic will work on Sans now?" The scarf clad skeleton asked, hopeful that she would be able to help the teen.

"I don't know, but I'll try." The queen stated as she approached her sleeping friend and knelt beside him, carefully examining the boys injuries.

She immediately came to the conclusion that his right leg was the most concerning. The femur was nearly broken in half, having worsened during the days he had been unconscious, and the motherly goat was sure it must be extremely painful. Tori felt terrible that she had been unable to help him earlier but was determined to do everything she could now and that meant doing her best to heal his wounds. Placing a warm paw over the broken bone she summoned her magic, being as gentle as possible in her task. She let out a sigh of relief as the wound began knitting itself back together. Pap sat silently, refusing to relinquish his hold of his brothers hand as the she goat worked.

Toriel looked up nearly three hours later, sounding completely worn-out as she said. "There's nothing more I can do for his leg I'm afraid, the other injuries have healed perfectly though."

"But the bone still has a rather large crack..." The elder skelebro trailed off, an anxious expression marring his face.

"Don't worry Papyrus." The older monster said, voice calm and gentle. "It will heal in time. Magic can only do so much... there are some things that must mend naturally. Of course he'll need to stay off it for the next week then be careful not to put too much stress on it for another month or so, but I'm sure he'll be just fine."

"THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR!" The enthusiastic skeleton yelled happily, forgetting that his brother was currently asleep, though Sans showed no sign of waking.

"Tori?" He asked, much more sedately than his previous exclamation. "I know Sans will be okay physically, but... what about emotionally?"

His grip tightened around his baby bros phalanges as the goat mom carefully contemplated the question, taking several minutes before finally meeting his gaze.

"I won't lie to you." She began, noting how the younger monster clenched his teeth in trepidation. "It will difficult and I'm not sure he'll ever be the same as you remember. I feel so helpless, I've only ever known the Sans who knocked on the ruin doors and I realize now that he had already been hiding behind those masks of his even then. I never knew the 'real' Sans... not in the same way you did. In all honesty Papyrus... you're probably the only who knows what he's actually like. It's up to you to help him rediscover himself."

Pap wistfully met her gaze as she settled a comforting paw on his scapula, gently squeezing it before moving away to place a soft kiss on the younger brothers skull.

"Now, I'd best be getting home." She declared, softly. "Asgore will be dropping Asriel and Frisk off later tonight and I want to have a special dinner ready for them. Now that Sans is safe I think everyone will finally be able to relax."

"YES, I SUPPOSE YOU ARE RIGHT!" The spaghetti lover declared as he watched the queen head toward the door. "HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR MY BROTHER!"

"There is no need for thanks, I'm happy that I was able to be of assistance." Tori said, glancing back at her patient one last time. "Keep an eye on him Papyrus, he'll need your support in order to recover."

The energetic monsters face grew solemn as he spoke. "Of course I will. Sans has always went out of his way to take care of me... it's about time I return the favor. Now that I've gotten used to being the big brother again I don't think I'll be giving it up in a hurry."

As the queen left, Pap couldn't help but think back to when he and Sans were children. Back then it had been pretty difficult on the both of them. They had been alone for so long that they had a hard time remembering a time when they weren't. When they had first settled in Snowdin the elder brother had been just ten years old, the younger only seven, and even before that they had been wandering. Moving from place to place, relying on the kindness of strangers to help them get by, running from those who wished them harm or wanted to separate them... it wasn't the best way to live but it was the only way they knew how. Sans was too young to remember what happened to their parents and Papyrus refused to tell him anything other than that they had suddenly disappeared one day. But the older skelebro knew the time would come when he would have to reveal the truth.

" _Sans we need to go!" The seven year old called, rushing into the room he shared with his brother as the sound of his pursuers faded in the distance, he had managed to lose them for the moment._

" _Wha... brother?" The tiny skeleton asked, cocking his head to one side curiously._

_Pap wasted no time, quickly scooping his baby bro into his arms before grabbing the bag that was sitting near the door. Their mom and dad were always prepared and had drilled Papyrus constantly in case there was an emergency and they weren't around. Inside the slightly heavy bag were the normal baby items but there was also a bunch of medical supplies, dried food, and bottles of water that would last quite awhile if rationed. Even though Papyrus knew his parents work was dangerous they'd never actually told him what they did, just that he'd need to be ready in case something happened to them._

" _Let's get out of here!" The elder monster whispered loudly, creeping to the door and peeking around the corner before quietly making his way down the hall._

" _Pappy? Where's mommy and daddy?" Sans whimpered, tears filling his eye sockets as he began to cry._

" _Shh... you need to be very quiet, okay San-San?" He implored, hoping the nickname would have the desired effect and the younger skeleton would be silent._

_Looking around to make sure they hadn't been spotted, Pap gently bounced the toddler. "I... I don't know wh...where they are but I'm sure they'll find us. We just... need to get to the meeting place, that's all..."_

_As they snuck through the corridors of the capital, the elder skelebro refused to let his tears fall, knowing he had to stay strong for the small child in his arms. Yet even so he couldn't help but think of what he'd seen. He had lied to Sans, their parents wouldn't be coming for them, but he couldn't tell his little brother the truth... he just couldn't. How could he tell the small boy that his mommy and daddy were dead?_

_'I'm sorry brother... but it's just gonna be you and me from now on.' Papyrus thought sadly, hugging the toddler tighter against his chest._

_The taller monsters arms were quickly growing tired as he slowed to a stop in a secluded alley ten minutes later, needing to rest for a bit before continuing on. He gently set his almost four year old brother down and stood panting, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, the bag laying abandoned on the ground beside them for the time being._

" _Good,... we're almost to... the edge of... the city." Papyrus said between gasps, keeping a wary eye out for any followers._

_He knelt down beside his baby bro as he heard a muffled whimper and swiftly pulled the smaller skeleton into a tight embrace._

" _Hey, it's going to be okay." He comforted, rubbing the younger males back. "The great Papyrus would never let anything happen to his awesome baby brother... you know that right?"_

_Upon receiving a nod, pap bent over and swung the bags strap up onto his shoulder before grabbing hold of his shorter brothers hand and making his way out of their hiding spot. They walked in silence for several minutes, the elder once again keeping watch for any sign that they were being followed. It wasn't until they had passed into Hotland that Sans' hushed voice broke the quiet atmosphere that had settled over them._

" _Where are we going?" The tiny child questioned uncertainly, trying in vain to keep the tears at bay._

" _Dad told me about a hidden place that no one else knows about. It's in Waterfall but he said the River Person is a friend and will help us get there if we're ever in trouble. I just need to remember the way..." Papyrus revealed, unusually serious for the normally excitable seven year old._

_A sudden noise alerted them to the fact that someone was approaching and the elder monster immediately pulled the younger behind a formation of rock, slapping a hand over the startled boys mouth as he held him tightly in his arms. His eyes grew wide as he heard footsteps stop on the opposite side of the rock they were concealed behind. As he listened, several voices rose in quiet conversation, though he couldn't make out what was being said. Soon enough the footsteps moved away leaving the two wary skeleton children crouched behind their rock, afraid to move lest they draw unwanted attention to themselves. It was nearly thirty minutes before the brothers dared to leave their refuge and in the time they had been hiding Papyrus had recalled how to get to the River Persons boat landing. Taking Sans by the hand the elder skeleton led them onward, stopping occasionally to make sure the people who had been following them hadn't returned. After an hour had passed they finally detected the sound of a river growing ever closer and soon emerged into a sandy clearing where a hooded figure awaited them._

" _Tra la la." The stranger sang as they watched warily, Sans trying to hide behind his big brother. "I love riding on my boat, care to join me?"_

" _Umm, yes please." Pap spoke up, trying to sound brave. "Can you take us to Waterfall?"_

_The figure nodded in acceptance as the seven year old knelt down in front of his little bro._

" _You don't have to be scared San-San, they're going to help us." He soothed, picking up the trembling toddler and carrying him onto the vessel._

_Once they were both carefully sitting in the bottom of the wooden craft it began to move, slowly gaining speed as they went. Before long the small toddler had fallen asleep in his older brothers arms, tuckered out from their long journey._

" _Tra la la." The River Person began again, drawing the taller childs attention. "Your friends will be close, yet your enemy closer..."_

" _WHAT!?" He demanded loudly, not understanding what the strange being was talking about. "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?"_

_The figure didn't say another word for the rest of the journey and Papyrus found himself carrying his baby brother off the boat as soon as it docked, not wanting to hang around any longer than he had too. The younger skelebro remained peacefully unaware of the ominous event that had just occurred._

" _Umm, thanks for the ride." Pap said, somewhat hesitantly, before heading off._

_It was nearly nighttime when he reached the area his father had described to him and he carefully placed Sans down on the stone floor as he gathered the bridge flower seeds and floated them into a straight line at the right side of the room. Once the pathway had appeared he moved back over to his brother, scooping him into his arms once more, and carried him across the flowers to a small secluded area. Here he laid the tiny child on the lone bench that occupied the room before laying on the ground beside him. It had been a long, tiring day and he was exhausted. Once morning came he would figure out what to do but for now... he needed to sleep. So, taking his baby brothers hand in his, Papyrus let himself drift off... a few tears falling from his closed eyes as he dreamed of happier times._

"I think I finally understand what the River Person was trying to tell us." Papyrus admitted, rubbing circles on the back of his little bros hand.

It was weird for Pap to remember those times. He had been so responsible back then, always taking his role as big brother very seriously and doing everything in his power to keep the younger skeleton safe. As for Sans, he had been such a shy and quiet child, mostly talking only when absolutely necessary... his love of puns had come a few years later. The elder monster knew that over time he had grown more relaxed and let himself be more childish since he'd been forced to grow up too soon. But now, he regretted that decision. Maybe if he hadn't let himself become so carefree he would have realized what Sans was going through sooner.

"Stop beating yerself up Pap... you're not an egg." He heard the younger skeletons voice, followed by quiet chuckling.

Startled, he glanced down, noticing his brother slowly opening his eyes. There was a lingering trace of pain visible in the dark depths and he still seemed pretty weak, though that was to be expected after what he'd gone through.

"How are you feeling?" Papyrus questioned, completely ignoring the comedians pun as he worriedly checked Sans' temperature, making sure the fever hadn't returned before moving on to have a look at his leg.

"Don't worry, I'm going tibia okay, though I'll admit... this ordeal wasn't very humerus." The hoodie clad monster announced, hoping to comfort his big brother and maybe get a laugh out of him... he wasn't disappointed.

As a relieved giggle escaped the spaghetti lovers mouth, Sans found himself laughing along.

"Well, if you're sure..." The taller skeleton relented after a short while, glad that the teen was awake and seemed to be doing relatively fine. "But make sure to tell me if something starts hurting. You're leg isn't fully healed so you'll need to stay off it for the time being. I'll see about finding a pair of crutches later but for now just let me know if you need to go somewhere."

"Sure thing bro." Sans replied, a true smile lighting up his face... not one of the false ones he had once hid behind. "Actually, if you don't mind, I'd really like to go to the lake."

Paps face grew shocked as he took in the pleading expression that now adorned the smaller monster.

"WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT?" He demanded, sockets narrowed suspiciously. "YOU ALMOST DIED SANS! IF I HADN'T REMEMBERED THAT YOU USED TO GO THERE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER... I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!"

"I know... I was a bonehead for running off like that." The jokester admitted, sullenly. "I just didn't want to risk hurting anyone..."

"Do you truly believe it didn't hurt when I watched you disappear into those woods, or when I read the note you left that said you may not survive?" The normally enthusiastic skeleton said, voice cracking as tears pooled in his eyes. "It may not be the kind of hurt you were thinking of, but to me... it was worse. The suspense of not knowing what was happening, the fear that I would be too late to save you, the knowledge that I had failed to protect my only little brother... it hurt more than I can ever express with mere words."

"I... I'm so sorry Pap." Sans whispered, regret dripping from every word. "I didn't mean to... I would never hurt you on purpose."

Papyrus bent down, wrapping his arms tenderly around the eighteen year olds small form. "I know... and it's not your fault. You were afraid and not thinking clearly, I'd never blame you for what happened... I'm just glad that you're going to be okay."

"Yea, me too bro." The pun loving skeleton agreed as he nuzzled his face into the orange scarf wrapped around his brothers neck.

They stayed that way for a couple minutes, just taking comfort in each others presence before finally splitting apart.

"I guess it will be okay if we visit the lake for a little while." The elder brother gave in, smiling widely as he saw the happiness in the teens eyes. "But only if you bundle up and let me carry you."

"Pap, you can't be..." Sans tried to reason but was promptly interrupted.

"NO ARGUEING, SANS!" The spaghetti loving monster proclaimed, pointing a finger at the others face. "IT'S COLD OUTSIDE AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY SICK FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, ALSO I REFUSE TO LET YOU RE-INJURE YOUR LEG BY BEING STUBBORN! NOW, YOU WILL ACCEPT MY HELP OR WE WILL STAY HERE!"

Sans let an amused look grace his face as his brother finished his tirade. He couldn't help but laugh a little as he contemplated the taller monsters ultimatum. The smaller skelebro knew that his bro was right on both accounts so decided it would be best to accept his terms, besides, he wanted to get to the lake as soon as possible. There were only a few hours of daytime left and, knowing his big brother, he wouldn't let him go if it got too late.

"Okay, fine... no need to be so sternum about it." He said, watching gleefully as the other skeleton face palmed before rushing from the room... coming back a couple of minutes later with his arms full of clothes.

Once Sans was dressed in several layers of warm clothing, including a beanie that had cat ears on it, the two were ready to depart. Pap easily lifted the younger monster into his arms and headed toward the front door at a steady pace, being extra careful not to jostle his brother.

"Wouldn't it be easier if I just teleported us?" The slipper wearing monster asked, quite comfortable in the others hold.

"I don't want you straining yourself." Papyrus responded, voice holding a tinge of concern. "It's far too soon for you to be using your magic."

With a sigh Sans closed his eyes, if he was being forced to take the long way he might as well have a nap in the meantime. The energetic skeleton watched the teen fondly as he slowly made his way back to the lake hidden within the forest. He hoped that he would be able to make some good memories of the place to replace the few he had. After all, each of the times he'd been there the area seemed to hold nothing but misery and ice... he truly wondered what the younger monster saw in it.

As Pap approached the clearing he gently shook his brother awake before carefully placing him on the boulder that rested beside the banks of the lake. The older skeleton couldn't help but notice the serene expression that took over his little bros face as the teen sat there, staring silently out at the frozen water. This was the Sans he had known when they were children. This was the Sans that had been concealed under layer upon layer of cheerful masks, hiding the pain and suffering he felt so that others wouldn't worry about him. In that moment, Papyrus knew his baby brother would heal. It may take time, there may be setbacks, but in the end Sans would be free to be himself... free to be the him he's kept locked away for so long.


	13. Epilogue- The Past Is Not Today

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **AN: I love how this epilogue turned out! It has so much fluff and awesome moments between the characters. It's hard to believe that this story is over! Wow, it went by so fast. Thank you so much for sticking with me till the very end and I hope to see you in my next Undertale story which I have just posted the prologue to. It is called 'Adopted Promise!' for those of you who would like to check it out. Please let me know what you thing and, again, thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this conclusion to 'Tattered Dreams!' :)**
> 
> **Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Undertale. That privilege belongs to Toby Fox.**

Sans trudged nervously toward the ruins, slowly following his brother who was leading the way. It had been a little over a month since everything had occurred and his leg was mostly healed. Everyone had been so busy as of late that this would be the first time he'd seen his friends since he'd first awoken. Tori had decided that it would be a good idea to have a picnic with everyone and the others had readily agreed, quickly setting a date for the next day they all had off. It had been a struggle for some of them, like Mettaton and Asgore, to find free time but they had managed and now... today was the day. The comedian was happy to be able to see everyone again but still, he was worried about how they would react to how much he'd changed. Sure, he still loved puns as much as he always did but he didn't feel the need to make them as often. He also didn't smile as much, not that he wasn't happy... he was. Sans just didn't feel like he had to hide what he was feeling nowadays. His older brother had worked tirelessly in his attempts at getting the younger skeleton to talk about his problems rather that hiding them away and, even if he still had a ways to go, he was making progress.

"Sans?" Papyrus said gently, breaking the silence as he turned to face the shorter monster who was beginning to fall behind. "Are you sure you're up to this brother? If you don't feel ready we can try again later..."

He tucked his hands into his hoodie pockets, anxiously glancing towards the ruins that had just come into view. Sans hesitated, wanting nothing more than to turn around and put this meeting off till another day, but he knew he couldn't do that. He had been putting on his facade for so long that he had nearly forgotten how to be himself. Pap had been an irreplaceable help in the days since he'd learned the truth and the smaller skeleton realized that by not trusting his family and friends... he had just done more harm to himself. So, with that thought in mind, the jokester braced himself and walked forward... knocking on the door before he had the chance to back down. The taller monster sent him a proud look as they waited, not bothered by the others silence. Moments later the door opened, revealing the smiling faces of Frisk and Asriel.

"Sans!" They shouted together, rushing forward to wrap their small arms around the teens waist in a tight embrace.

"Mom told us what happened!" Asriel said, voice hushed with concern.

"Are you alright now?" Frisk asked, picking up where her adopted brother left off. "What about your leg?"

"I'm okay, guys. You don't have to worry." He soothed, before falling silent once more.

The children exchanged confused looks before stepping back, releasing the older being from their hold. They motioned for the jokester to head through the entry, stopping Papyrus as he went to follow. The kids waited just long enough for Sans to get out of hearing range before turning to the elder brother.

"What's wrong with him?" They demanded in unison, eyes filled with fear for their friend.

"He didn't even tell a pun." The small human voiced, upset.

"And he was really quiet..." The goat boy trailed off.

Pap sighed as he thought about how to explain to the children.

"You two know that Sans has been through a lot, right." He questioned, continuing upon receiving twin nods of conformation. "Well that sort of thing changes people... but not always for the worse. Sans used to be a very introverted monster before the loops began, usually keeping to himself rather than socializing with groups of people. Afterwards he was forced to act happy even when he wasn't in order to make it so that no one would figure out that something was wrong..."

"Like make-believe?" Frisk asked, her brothers eyes widening in realization.

"Well, yes." The skeleton agreed, figuring that was close enough. "But now he can act like he used to before this whole mess began. This is how my brother really is. He's still the friend you know... just a little different."

"Okay!" The two exclaimed, glad to know that their favorite playmate was going to be fine.

Papyrus patted their heads before swiftly following his brother, knowing the younger would be worried if he took too long. It only took a few minutes to catch up to Sans. The slipper clad monster was waiting a few corridors away, back leaning against the stone wall and eye sockets closed.

"Brother?" Pap asked, placing a hand on the younger skelebros shoulder as he watched Frisk and Asriel disappear around a corner.

"Hey Pappy, ready to go?" Sans replied, a mostly calm smile on his face as he glanced up at the other.

"Yes, lets get this meeting over with so we can enjoy the remainder of the day." The spaghetti lover announced resolutely.

They walked the rest of the way to where the picnic was being held without saying a word and, as Sans hesitated, Papyrus softly squeezed his hand... hoping to reassure the troubled teen.

"It's going to be fine... no one will think any different of you." The elder monster comforted, worried by his bros too quick breathing.

"Y...yea." The comedian stuttered before taking several deep breaths to calm his frayed nerves.

Sans knew that he couldn't rely on his big brother for everything... there were some things he had to do for himself. So, steeling his resolve, the short skeleton rounded the corner and made his way over to where his friends were sitting. As he approached a hush fell over the gathered monsters and he felt his fears returning, but he pushed them aside. Sitting on the large blanket that was spread across the ground, the pun lover met the concerned eyes of his friends and felt a genuine smile grace his features.

"Heya, everyone..." He said quietly, his fingers tugging on the hem of his shirt being the only sign that he was nervous.

"Hello Sans." Tori responded immediately, voice warm and welcoming. "It's so good to see you doing better. How are you feeling?"

The teen glanced up at his bro who had settled beside him before answering sincerely. "I'm okay, don't worry about it."

"That's what he told us too." Asriel declared, pausing in the game he was playing with his surrogate sister.

Toriel sent a scolding look towards her child, not wanting to put too much pressure on the young skeleton by making him feel like he had to talk about what happened. Turning back to her punny friend she let a calm smile spread across her face.

"I'd gladly listen if something is bothering you." The goat mom offered, kindness shining in her eyes. "I'm sure any of us would."

This was met with murmured agreements from the assembly and he felt his soul lighten. How had he ever thought that after what they'd all been through... his friends would abandon him now? The eighteen year old decided that it must have been his paranoia acting up again. During the loops he had been unable to trust in even the simplest things, knowing that it could lead to disaster, yet even now that they were free he still found himself slipping into old routines every so often. Those times were getting further and further apart, though, with the help of his ever supportive brother.

"I'll let someone know if I need to talk." He conceded a short while later.

Quiet once again fell as everyone's eyes remained glued to the comedians form waiting for the pun they were sure was coming. The awkward moment was luckily interrupted by the undergrounds favorite TV star.

"Well..." Mettaton drew the word out, drawing the attention to himself upon seeing the small skeleton beginning to fidget. "Now that the guest of honor is here... how about we get this party started!?"

"THAT IS A GREAT IDEA! I BROUGHT SOME OF MY FAMOUS SPAGHETTI TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE AND IT WON'T TASTE AS GOOD IF IT GETS COLD!" Papyrus picked up as Sans cast a thankful look at Mettaton, the robot nodded a bit in return.

The group couldn't withhold their chuckles, knowing how seriously their excitable friend took his pasta, and they decided to let the matter drop. The older skeleton had warned them via phone that his brother wouldn't act like he normally did, though he didn't go into detail, and they could now see that it was true. As the picnic progressed each of the gathered monsters kept an eye out for their still recovering friend, not wanting him to overexert himself, and they each had their own moments of realization.

Frisk and Asriel had already had theirs when they'd met their favorite playmate at the entrance to the ruins. Seeing how he acted then, along with the explanation from Papyrus, had made them see that even if he was quieter and told less jokes he was still the same guy they'd come to know and they were already excited for the next time he would come visit them.

Toriels moment came soon after the event had started. She was still worried by how standoffish the comedian seemed so decided to approach him while the others were busy with their food. The goat lady moved so that she was sitting just to his left and she smiled as he cast an inquisitive look her way. They sat like that for nearly ten minutes, eating Pap's spaghetti in peace before she gathered the courage to breach the subject.

"Are you sure you're alright?" The mother figure asked, concern prominent on her gentle face. "You seem awfully quiet today."

"To tell you the truth Tori... I was really nervous about coming here." He answered honestly, head ducking into his hoodie slightly.

"Why in the world would you feel that way?" She worried, turning to face her younger friend fully. "Surely you know we wouldn't judge you for not acting as you did before we knew the truth?"

She watched as his mouth contorted into an uneasy frown, eyes turned away in shame.

"I was scared..." The comedian trailed off, trying to find the right words. "I'd been hiding behind those stupid masks for so long that it felt like I had lost who I really am... but Pappy helped me to find myself again. I was afraid that you and the others wouldn't be able to accept me like I am now. I'm not someone who smiles or tells puns constantly. Sure, I still love them but now I don't need to use humor to fool people into thinking I'm alright anymore. If I'm upset I can let it show and know that I'll have friends who will help me. I can be myself for the first time in... I don't even know how long."

Toriel had remained quiet throughout the teens rant, knowing he had to get this off his chest. As he finished, she wrapped her arms around his trembling form in a loving embrace, staying there a few minutes before pulling away.

"Heh, thanks Tori." The boy conveyed, a soft smile growing on his face. "I guess I needed that."

"It is no problem my child." She replied, happy to have been of some comfort to the one she thought of as an adopted son.

About an hour after that, Mettaton made his way over to where the Sans was lounging in the sun. He had known something was different as soon as the skeleton bros entered the small clearing where they had set up for the event. The robotic star hadn't been there during that terrible week and deeply regretted not being able to offer his help back then. As it goes, he had been on tour in a secluded part of the underground with no cell service so only found out about the ordeal when he returned. By then the whole thing was done and over with. Yes, there were times when he didn't see eye to eye with the younger skelebro... like when he'd tried asking his older brother on a date, but recently they had been getting over their differences and Mettaton had even grown kind of fond of the resident jokester. So it was that he found himself sitting beside the hoodie clad monster while the others began a series of competitive games.

"You know..." He said curiously, glancing at the other from the corner of his eye as he watched the activities. "I'm really quite surprised that I didn't notice that little front you had been putting on, I am a performer after all."

"Welp... looks like you're not the only one who can act." The eighteen year old replied, good-humoredly.

Mettaton let out a robotic laugh, it seemed his friend hadn't lost his wittiness during his ordeal.

"Yes, I can see that." The former ghost responded, grinning mischievously. "Maybe I should have you as a guest on one of my shows."

"Don't you dare." Sans deadpanned, left eye glowing a faint blue.

"Well darling... if you ever want to get into show biz you know who to call." The taller being winked teasingly, watching in glee as a light blush covered the smaller males face, it was so easy to embarrass the young skeleton now that he wasn't hiding his emotions.

Undyne had just won her third game, the bean-bag toss, and was heading back over to sit next to Alphys when she noticed Sans talking to the robot. Quickly changing course she walked straight up to them and grabbed the younger monster by the arm, dragging him away without so much as an explanation.

"Umm... Undyne?" Sans tried to protest but was completely ignored.

The fish lady refused to stop until they were both situated on the outskirts of the clearing alongside the warriors timid girlfriend. The scientist looked confused for a minute before understanding dawned on her face as she caught on to what the other female was planning.

"Hey nerd!?" The spear wielder exclaimed, causing the boy to wince slightly at her tone. "What the hell is up with you?"

Sans anxiously pulled on his hoodie without realizing it, unsure of how he was supposed to respond. His two friends immediately took notice of this and grew even more concerned.

"Sans... if something is wrong y...you can tell us, you know" Alphys said, voice calm and quiet.

"It's nothing... I'm fine." He spoke at last, lowering his eye sockets to stare at the ground.

"I don't believe that!" The captain of the royal guard declared, kneeling in front of her younger friend to place an unwavering hand on his shoulder. "You're not making puns, have barely smiled, and seem ready to jump out of your skin... well, if you had any that is. What I'm trying to say is... I'm worried about ya kid. It's only been a month since you woke up from that hell and it takes time... I know that. Don't let anyone push you into anything, give yourself time to heal, Asgore knows you need it."

Tears unwillingly filled the short skeletons eyes as he listened to Undyne. It was true. There were many times that he would wake in the night, covered in sweat, with his magic nearly out of control due to whatever nightmare he'd had. Likewise, he had ended up being prone to panic attacks and had also had a few flashbacks during the last few weeks. Usually Papyrus was there to help him through them... but there had been times he'd had to deal with it on his own.

"Shh, Sans, it'll be o...okay." Alphys whispered, grabbing hold of the teens bony hand and running her thumb across the back in a soothing manner. "We're h...here for you."

Both girls wrapped their arms around him, cocooning him in a loving group hug as his tears were replaced by the warm feeling of reassurance spreading throughout his soul. They stayed that way until the teen had fully calmed down and even a little while afterwards.

Asgore had been watching the young monster for the last few hours, unsure how to approach him. He felt tremendous guilt for what had occurred during the timelines, especially the ones that had become known as 'genocide loops'. He couldn't help but blame himself for what the teen had been forced to experience. He had appointed the young monster as judge due to his powerful magic and exceptional agility, feeling that even with one HP the boy was best suited for the job. If he had known what was to come, and from one he had once called daughter no less, he would never have allowed it to happen. But there was no use dwelling on what could have been, not when his mistake had caused the small skeleton so much harm. As the king he hadn't even been able to be there when the teenager was being attacked by his own magic, too busy with ruling the underground to help the one he had wronged so greatly. Taking a deep breath, the goat monster decided it was best just to get this over with as it was getting late and the picnic would be ending soon.

"Sans, would you mind talking with me awhile?" He asked, slowly approaching the shorter monster.

"Sure, what's up?" The comedian answered, curious as to what his king had to say.

They moved a short distance away from the rest of the group so they could speak in private before Asgore turned to face him.

"I wanted to apologize to you." The monarch said, remorse weighing on his face. "If I had not appointed you as judge, you may have avoided all the pain and suffering you endured during those horrid loops. I wish I had known something like this would happen back then. I truly am sorry, my friend, for all the wrong I have done unto you."

"What are you talking about?" Sans questioned, disbelief shining in his eyes. "Even if I hadn't been your judge I still would have confronted the fallen child. Do you really believe I would have just sat by after she killed Papyrus... after she killed everyone!? You know me better than that Asgore. It wouldn't have changed a thing, so please, don't apologize for something that isn't your fault."

The goat man sank to his knees, clasping a furry paw on either of the young males shoulders as he examined his face. Seeing the resolve there, the king let out a heavy sigh.

"I suppose you are right." Asgore relented with a nod of his head. "I was foolish to think that you would do any less than you've done. Sans, you are the bravest soul I have ever met and all of monster kind owes their lives to you. If not for your perseverance, we would never have escaped those timelines... thank you."

The jokester just nodded, slipping his hands inside his pockets as he tried to hide the light blue tinge colored his cheeks.

Less than an hour later the monsters had cleaned up the clearing and were saying their goodbyes. Sans let out a yawn, reaching up to rub his tired sockets with the sleeve of his hoodie... he was exhausted from the days events as well as his previous worries. Pap took notice of this and swiftly scooped his little brother into his arms, the younger immediately resting his head on his bros scapula.

"I'd better be getting Sans home." He told the gathered monsters, all of which were watching the pair with fond expressions plastered on their faces. "He's had a long day and is still healing so he needs his rest."

"I'm fine, Pappy..." Came the teens muttered response as he yawned once more.

His friends let out quiet peels of laughter, relieved to have learned that the younger skelebro was on the mend, before fondly waving the brothers off. As Papyrus made his way home, he glanced down at the younger monster he was holding only to be met with his baby bros trusting eyes gazing tiredly up at him.

"You were right." The comedian spoke, voice barely louder than a whisper. "They didn't mind."

"See Sans, there was nothing to worry about." Pap responded, a grin pulling at his mouth. "True friends are people who love and accept you for who you are... even if you change. They'll do all in their power to help, even if they don't know what to do... they will support you."

The slipper clad monster closed his eyes, unable to keep them open any longer as he was slowly carried through the snowy woods outside of Snowdin. Nuzzling into his brothers signature scarf, Sans felt the older monster press a gentle kiss to the top of his head.

"Thanks bro... for everything." He murmured, falling into a peaceful sleep.

The shorter skeleton knew that as long as he was with his older brother nothing bad could happen to him. Chara was gone... just a dark memory from the past. Even so, there was still a ways to go before the damage would be fully healed, emotionally rather than physically, but he knew now that he wouldn't be alone. He had Papyrus and all the others... a whole group of friends who would be there every step of the way, cheering him on, picking him up if he fell, and reminding him that he doesn't have to rely on only himself. After all... the past is not today.


End file.
